A Gentlemen's Agreement
by mrs.salvatore39
Summary: Possible S4 idea. VampElena has shut herself away from most of her friends, and the Salvatore brothers are at a loss over what to do. She is in for seduction and romance she never saw coming, but sooner or later a choice must be made. COMPLETED
1. Chapter 1

_a/n: so I took today off work so I could get some cleaning done, before I tackle the house and the laundry I needed to sit down and get a bit of writing done. My requests list is thankfully dwindling down and I find the ones that are left are one shots that I'm not feeling 100% passionate about. It's important to me to write something that needs to be written, so that may also be part of why I've been so distant lately. That and complete, utter exhaustion._

_This fic was inspired by the movie 'This Means War' as well as a few requests. I just love that movie and the idea of Damon and Stefan fighting for Elena's heart this way would create a really interesting dynamic to the show. I originally intended this to be just a one shot, but I have a feeling it will be a bit more than that. Here goes chapter one; we'll see how you all like it._

_Dedicated to loveyoualways21 (for wanting Damon and Elena to have an epic fight and makeout session in the rain- it's coming in this fic), and heartbreakmystque (for choosing the song that helped form this fic). And to Chris Pine, as well as Tom Hardy- both who were sexy as hell in the movie._

A GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT

Damon glared at his brother across the living room. Stefan had just told him that he was going to do whatever he could to get Elena back. Seconds after Damon agreed he would step back and let Elena live her life, thinking that he and Stefan were on the same page. Ever since Elena had woken up in the hospital a few days ago, her new vampire existence had thrown everyone for a loop. She had shut herself off from everyone almost completely after nearly attacking Jeremy one night. She refused to wear the daylight ring Bonnie had made her, and aside from Caroline- and surprisingly Katherine- she refused to speak to anyone at all. "Now listen here, _brother_." Damon said the term of endearment as a slap in the face. "It's clear that she doesn't want either of us. Let's just let her be."

"Maybe you are willing to give her up so easily, but I'm not. I actually love her."

That got Damon on his feet, his height and authority not lost on the younger Salvatore, though he did his best not to appear to affected by his older siblings show of power. "I do love her, and you know that better than anyone. I want her to be safe, to be happy. She can be neither of those things with us in her life."

"She's already a vampire!" Stefan's forehead wrinkled as a new brooding fit was about to start. Up until this point he'd remained fairly calm. "What more can we do to her?"

Behind them, a female cleared her throat and the men spun around. For a moment, Damon's eyes widened. The familiar brown hair, the sparkling eyes, the soft lines of the Petrova face; they all comforted him. Then he realized it couldn't possibly be Elena, seen as how she hadn't stepped foot out of her house in weeks. "Get out Katherine." Damon glared and marched straight to the bar cart.

All this brotherly tension, and now having _her _in the room was too much for him to handle. He was halfway through pouring his drink before he remembered he had a perfectly good brandy on the coffee table. Ignoring it, he sipped at the new glass and watched as Katherine stepped down into the den.

"You both should really be nicer to me." She smirked, reaching down and swiping the brandy Damon had poured ten minutes ago. With a small incline of her head towards him she drained the crystal and set it back down. "After all, I'm your way to the girl. Not that we can exactly call her that anymore."

Stefan let out a sound between a growl and a hiss before leaping over the table and tackling Katherine to the ground. "What are you doing here?"

Damon took another swig and set his glass down, moving over to them and hauling Stefan off with one arm. "Give a rest you two. I just bought this rug and I don't need blood stains all over it. If you want to fight and rip each other's clothes off take it outside."

Katherine laughed and pushed up on her elbows, looking at Damon from her place on the floor. Slowly, she reached her hand out to him, waiting for him to pull her up like the gentleman she once knew. He left her there and crossed his arms. "Such rudeness. Where have the Salvatore manners gone?"

"Oh we have manners." Damon sneered down at her. "Just not for you."

She huffed and shrugged, pushing herself to her feet. The stiletto's she wore brought her to eye line with Stefan, but Damon still managed to look down his nose at her. "I came to see if you two were alright, at her request. Apparently she is worried you two will be threatening to murder each other or something."

Stefan took one step forward. "She's asked about us?"

"Of course." Katherine let her hand rest on his chest, smiling up at him. "I don't know what it is about you two, but it makes it very hard for us women to resist thinking about you." She diverted her eyes to Damon. "Either of you."

"Don't charm us." Damon smirked back and drained his glass. "What are you really doing here?"

"She misses you." Katherine shrugged and stepped away from the brothers, as if she was sizing them up side by side. "I can see why, but I don't entirely understand her ideal of closing herself off from you both. I suppose it's because she doesn't want to hurt one…but if she was smart she would do what I did. Can't you two just share her? Why does there have to be all this fighting? Be one big, dysfunctional, happy family."

"She's not a manipulative bitch like you are. She wouldn't do that to us, to herself."

"We were happy were we not?" Katherine dared, reminding them. "In the beginning at least." She glance at Stefan, slowly walking around him in a circle, one long manicured nail drawing a line from the center of his chest to his shoulder and down his arm. "I remember you sneaking into my room at night, after I'd already left yours. You couldn't get enough of me." Slowly, she sauntered over to Damon, letting her hands rest lightly on his shoulders, up to caress the side of his neck as she tilted his head to whisper in his ear. "And you were more than willing to chase me and beg me to run away with you- yet content enough to have me belong to both of you that you wouldn't dare give up our stolen time together."

Damon wrapped his hand around her neck, rushing her against the wall. "Enough!" She let her eyes close as he head connected with the solid oak of the molding's entrance, but she recovered from the blow soon enough and twisted his arm away from her.

"If you want to touch me, all you have to do is ask." She patted his cheek condescendingly, walking past him as he glared into her back, resetting his dislocated shoulder with a grunt. "Are we really going to beat each other up, or can we talk about this like grown ups?" she asked, the Southern grace they'd both met her with back in the sway of her hips as she moved to the couch and collapsed onto it.

"Talk about what?" Stefan pressed, turning to face her.

Damon came to stand beside his brother, not about to open his mouth again in fear that he would say something that would scare her off. Apparently whatever she'd come to tell them was important. And it was about Elena. He would stand here and listen to the devil himself tell him about Elena if that meant he got to know she was alright. Katherine sensed she had both men's attention now and slowly uncrossed, then crossed her legs again. The shiny chrome heel she wore glinted in the sunlight and she reached down to buff away a spot before leaning back, her arms resting open on the cushions. "Elena is having a hard time dealing with becoming a vampire. She completed her transition a month ago with my and Caroline's help, yet she still refuses to go out. At all. Even at night we can't get her to leave that house. She has developed a seemingly healthy diet for a newborn, considering her blood thirst is much higher than her little friend or I anticipated. Her hunger is astonishing."

"Why are you telling us all this?" Stefan demanded, the fact that it had been partly his doing in Elena's death made the fact she was a vampire now a highly uncomfortable subject to speak of.

"She is fine, physically speaking. She's learning how to deal with her speed, with her new abilities. She's even eating human food again already. And I'm assuming from the moans coming from her room at night her sex drive has peaked. I'm certain she hasn't been with anyone but herself, but the truth of the matter is, I know she misses you." Katherine left out the part where it was mostly Damon's name she heard coming through Elena's moans, but she threw him a pointed look all the same.

"What does telling us all this going to matter?" Stefan asked, huffing. "She still won't let us see her."

"That's the point." Katherine glared at him as if she was moments away from smacking him. "Since when have either of you ever followed her wishes. She's told me everything about the three of you, and I would hardly think that a 'leave me alone' order would stop either of you from going after something you both want. She can hardly end up happily ever after with blue eyed Matt now, so get off your high horses and fight for her."

Damon glanced at Stefan, to find his brother already looking at him expectantly. "Are we really going to do this? Fight for Elena's heart?"

"Why not?" Damon shrugged and extended his hand. "We've basically been doing it since the beginning, might as well make it a fair game."

Stefan shook on it, both men turning to Katherine when she coughed a little. "Whatever you do, don't call it a game in front of Elena. She may snap both your necks if she thinks your guys consider her a prize to be fought over."

"Isn't this her idea?" Damon demanded, letting go of his brothers hand.

"Hardly, it's mine." Katherine smirked and stood up from the couch. "May the best vampire win."

She was gone before either brother could stop her.

* * *

Elena looked up from her window seat, the curtains were drawn so the sunlight wouldn't touch her skin, even though she'd finally been talked into wearing the ring around the house at least. Her newest roommates were sick of having all the windows closed, so her room was the only dark sanctuary she had left now that Caroline and her cheery sunshiny-ness had imploded all over the place. On the bright side- or rather dark side, Katherine seemed to be a good balance between the two of them. Even though bringing in her doppelganger had been Elena's own idea, it still shocked her sometimes when she would find herself in the middle of a conversation with the woman that was literally once her enemy, that she would trust her. Especially enough to let her into the house, into her life. But Katherine understood what it was like to be forced into becoming a vampire, as did Caroline. And most of all, she understood the Salvatore brothers.

She could hear the clicking of Katherine's heels on the stairs and slowly closed her journal, slipping it under the pillow and out of anyone's sight. She shared almost everything with the other two vampires in the house, but some thoughts were just personal. There was a smile on her face by the time Katherine reached her bedroom door and she looked expectantly at the purple shopping bag in her new 'friends' hand. "What's that?" she asked, swinging her legs over so she was ready to pounce up if perhaps the item was a present for her.

"It's what we're wearing tonight." Katherine smiled devilishly, letting out a quick, sharp whistle between her teeth. Caroline appeared in the doorway, a smile on her lips.

"Have you talked her into it yet?" she whispered, a little too loud to be conspiratorially, but Elena got the idea that they'd been planning this for some time.

"Not yet." Katherine threw her doppelganger a glance out of the corner of her eye. "I'm still working on it."

"I'm not going anywhere." Elena said quite stubbornly and crawled right back up onto the loveseat, basically curling into a ball. "I'm not ready to be around that many humans."

Caroline sighed, moving over to lift Elena's legs so she could sit on the seat next to her. She patted her friends knee and smiled. "Elena, I know it's scary. But you have great control over your thirst. Better than I do, trust me. If you keep yourself shut off from the world you might become so used to be around bagged blood or simply no human at all that you lose focus and the first time someone gets a paper cut around you, you'll end up draining them. It's not like detox, you have to subject yourself to a little of it every day."

"Besides," Katherine stood up from the bed, pulling a sparkly red dress out of the tissue paper. "I bought this and you can't waste it."

"Take it back." Elena jabbed and Katherine promptly ripped the tag off.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that."

Caroline nudged Elena. "Please, it's not fair to keep any of us cooped up here, especially yourself. Just a few drinks and a few dances. We'll even go out of town so no one we know will see us."

Elena bit her bottom lip, chewing and thinking. She glanced outside, the sheer curtains shower her a distorted view of the outside world. She hadn't so much as stepped onto the porch since Damon had brought her home from the hospital. She did miss outside, more than she cared to admit. "Fine. Two drinks, three dances and then we're coming home."

"Sounds like a deal to me." Katherine grinned and tossed Elena the dress. "Put this on, we got a lot to do."

_a/n: so as I said, this is just the first chapter. It's just a possibility of what I think Season Three could be. S1 was Elena and Stefan with Damon kinda in the background. S2 was Elena and the brothers dealing with Kats. S3 was Elena and Damon with Stefan sorta in the background. Neither of them really got the chance to woo her, and I would really like to see that._

_If you've got any 'date ideas' or ways the brothers might try to get Elena to choose them let me know. _


	2. Chapter 2

_a/n: I'm very pleased that most everyone seems excited with this idea. I really have no clue what S4 is going to hold for us, and as there are so many, many different possibilities the show could take I feel 'safe' pulling this one out. I don't think the writers would ever go this route, but I hope they do._

_Anyways, on with the show._

_p.s the lyrics that will appear at the top of every chapter may not reflect the chapter as a whole, but once the story in completed they will make sense. Of course, the song is 'find a way' by safteysuit and was a large part of the inspiration for this fic._

A LADIES CHOICE

_Hold on, what's the rush? What's the rush we're not done are we?_

_Cause I don't need to change this atmosphere we've made, if_

_you can stay one more hour… Can you stay one more hour?_

Elena let the breath she was holding out, sucking in fresh night air as she slid into the back seat of the car. Katherine took the wheel, her and Caroline's laugh filling her head and bringing a smile to her face. Her jaw felt like it may crack from the abnormal movement. Had it really been that long since she had smiled? Since she'd laughed like this? At first, getting her out of the house had been almost a hassle for her fellow vamps, but once they'd drug her into the club and got the first drink in her she'd loosened up enough to _feel _the atmosphere of the music and the sweaty dancers around her. They'd danced together, apart, with men they didn't even bother to learn the names of, but most of all they had lived. For the first time in too long. As she squirmed on the seat, tugging the red fabric of her dress down her legs as she'd been doing since the zipper was done up, she scooted forward and leaned between the front seats.

"Now what are we doing?"

Katherine laughed and threw a look at the clock on the radio. "It's a little after one…aren't you ready to go home?"

Elena shook her head, missing the shared conspiratory look between her two friends. "Not a chance, you got me out here; let's not waste the night."

Caroline gave a big yawn, surprisingly believable to someone that didn't realize she was faking it. "Well to be honest sweetie, the night is kinda over. We're into the morning you realize?"

Elena shot her friend a look. "Are you, Caroline Forbes actually telling me that you want to be the one that calls this whole thing off?"

"We can go out again tomorrow night." Katherine offered, gearing the car into drive. She'd always had a fondness for fast cars.

"Alright fine." Elena sat back to save herself from being thrown against the leather as her doppelganger took off out of the parking lot. "I just can't believe you are all so willing to bring me home now that you've gotten me out."

Caroline smiled at Katherine knowingly and twisted back in her seat to look at her best friend. "We both saw the look on your face when you were dancing. We have no fear of you turning back into a introverted hermit."

Elena grinned, the music still pounded in her chest and her head. Even she couldn't disagree how alive she felt. The craving for blood was definitely inside of her, and a few times she'd realized how easy it would be to overpower her dance partner, drag him into a dark corner and drain him…but she hadn't. And she hadn't been entirely sure she would be able to resist that until being put to the test. Both the pride from that and the new attitude her vampire nature was bringing out in her tugged her lips up a little more and she let her head fall back against the seat, her eyes focusing on the stars high above them. Even through the window and the glare from the headlights, her talented eyes could focus far and even make out a few constellations.

As Katherine and Caroline sang whatever top 40 songs came onto the radio, Elena merely listened, absorbing the night and all that had happened. They'd gotten her out, dressed and dolled up. Now that she thought about it, she barely wore eyeliner since getting out of the hospital. The familiar feeling of dread began to creep in on her, but she flipped the switch- which was really only like putting a lid on a box with a wild creature inside. Sooner or later, it would find its way back out. She did her best not to think about the look on Damon's face when he'd come into the cold, metallic sounding room to find her sitting up on the gurney, fighting to catch breath she didn't really need.

She'd looked between him and Stefan, shock keeping the three of them silent before he'd rushed to her, pulled her into his arms and simply held her for a few moments. Stefan had looked sullen, brooding and in quite a lot of pain. His choice to listen to her and save Matt had cost her the very humanity she'd told them both she craved, she needed. Now she was a vampire, or would be if she completed her transition. When Stefan finally did look up at her, he stayed silent and the only comfort she had was Damon's strong arm around her waist. She understood that Stefan was upset, depressed…but she needed someone strong. Someone that would wait until she was safe at home in bed before raging and throwing a fit. When Damon offered to take her home, she was only more than willing.

He'd sat on her bed patiently, waiting for her to cry her eyes out in the shower, wash the smell of river water out of her hair. He'd held her for a good few hours as she'd screamed and begged and ultimately lost a small piece of her mind, begging him to fix it, to let her go, asking him if she should complete the transition. There was time to make the choice, but not much. When the nausea and the first initial cravings of blood began to subside, she'd made him leave; for both their sakes, but she'd sat up and watched him walk out of her room long enough to see the pain in his eyes. It wasn't the same pain as Stefan's. This was different.

And she'd spent the last month thinking about just what that look had meant.

She wasn't human, she wasn't dead but she wasn't exactly a vampire either. Of course she had turned, completed her transition and then promptly, one by one she began shutting out every person that she thought she could harm. Aside from Caroline who had simply refused to leave her alone and immediately moved in, and Katherine answering Elena's unexpected shocker of a call, she'd created a perfect, protective empty bubble around herself. She'd honestly believed that it was easier this way. Keeping everyone away from her meant that she couldn't hurt them; or at least not as badly as she could if they were right in front of her. When Katherine pulled her car to a stop in front of the house, Elena shook herself out of the cold memory of her first night in limbo. Caroline stepped out of the car, her heel catching in the crack of the sidewalk so that she almost tripped.

Elena was at her side before her knee connected with the concrete, her hand firm around her elbow; a wicked smile on her lips. "I do admit, this speed is wonderful."

Katherine laughed and came around the side of the car to look down at them. "You gotta learn to hold your liquor."

Caroline snorted and righted herself. "Let's go inside. We can make popcorn and Katherine can tell us some more crazy stories."

Elena watched as Caroline threw a clumsy arm over the elder Petrova woman's shoulders, thinking more a moment how odd the dynamic of their group was. After all, it was Katherine that had turned Caroline. Not that a single person in this dysfunctional unit they all called a family made any sense. She took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. They'd driven from downtown where the city lights made it hard for one to see the stars, but now that they were back in her small neighborhood the sky was darker and the stars brighter. She'd been in that house for so long, she was afraid that if she went back inside she may talk herself into never coming back out. "I think I'm going to enjoy the fresh air a bit more. I'll be in soon."

Katherine looked at her with concerned eyes. "Are you sure? Blondie here could use a walk to shake off some of her alcohol haze. We can come with you."

Elena smiled at her mirror image and waved a hand. "Don't worry. I'm not sneaking off to go feed. I just want to go for a walk. It's been a long time since I've just…gone for a walk."

She almost laughed, thinking how funny it was that now that she was a vampire, she had more time for human things. Caroline had sobered up enough by now to understand what was going on. "She'll be fine."

"Alright." Katherine agreed a bit slowly. "If anything happens, just call us."

Elena moved forward, hugging them both. "It's like my own personal AA team." She laughed and Caroline looked confused.

"Alcoholics Anonyms." Katherine explained and helped Caroline into the house. "Be back soon." She called over her shoulder.

Elena watched till they were inside and the door was closed, then she turned down the street and started walking. The only sound around her was the clicking of her heels on the sidewalk, and then the low humming in her throat. She had no idea where she was going, and she didn't much care to find out until she arrived. Her head swam with memories, with ideals; same ones she'd been thinking about for weeks now, and occasionally a new one would pop into her head. It wasn't until she came face to face with a large oak door that she realized how far she had walked and just what she'd thrown herself into. There was no going back now, it was already too late. And besides, she missed him. Really missed him.

* * *

Damon stared down into his brandy, the warmth of the fire beating against his bare back. Ever since Katherine's visit this morning he'd been unable to think of anything but Elena. He'd done his damndest to try and shut her out of his life as quickly and easily as she'd shut him out of hers- but it just was not possible. If he slept, she was in his dreams. If he was awake, she plagued his thoughts. It was pathetic really, but couldn't be helped. He was so deep in thought that he hardly heard the knock at the door. She was banging by the time he broke out of his memories and looked up. With a growl he pushed off from the couch and stomped over to the sound, reefing the door open with something close to snarl on his face. And there she was, just standing there with a smile on her face, one hand raised in a fist as if she planned on banging away until someone answered.

"Hello Damon." She whispered, as if she were afraid he would disappear should she speak too loudly. "Long time no see."

He leant against the door, his arm up. "Long time no see? Really? That's your opening line?"

"Can I come in?" she spoke a little louder, her smile diminishing as she shuffled uncomfortably before him. "Please?"

He paused, looking her over. It had been a while since he'd actually gotten to look at her face to face and the red dress she'd been put into was a sight for sore eyes. It was half desire, half stupidity that had him stepping back and letting her in. "Make this quick, I was about to go to bed."

Elena hardly expected Damon to welcome her back with open arms, but still the hard edge to his voice made her heart hurt a little. She looked upward, as if she could see through the layers of the floor. "Did I interrupt something?"

"There is no one up there waiting for me if that's what you're asking."

"Oh." She wasn't sure what to say so she turned and slowly walked into the den, doing her best to avert her eyes from him. She could still picture every muscled line of his body when she closed her eyes, but imaging him and having him half naked in front of her were two different things. On the bright side she would have a little more to work with tonight when she was lying in bed thinking of him. "Can I sit?"

"Sure." He shrugged, doing his best to pretend like he didn't care. What did she want him to do, fall at her feet weeping? No, he'd done the sensitive beggar before when she was still human and that hadn't worked then. If she wanted tears and apologizes she could go find Stefan outside. "Want a drink?"

She shook her head and slid into her familiar spot on the couch, making sure to leave room for him. "No thank you. I try to stay away from that stuff. Caroline says it works great for cravings…but I'm trying to work on ignoring them my own way."

"And that would be?" he thought about sitting next to her, but perched on the arm of a chair instead.

She blushed and looked down. "I'd rather not say."

"Are you feeding on poor defenseless bunnies too?"

That made her glare at him. "No."

He smirked, taking a long swig on his brandy. "Ah, masturbating and blood bags then?"

Her blush deepened, but she didn't look away this time. "It isn't really any of your business, now is it?"

Damon shook his head, toasting her with his glass. "Not at all, you've made sure of that. I do see that you've made nearly everything Katherine's business. Did she dress you up like trampy Barbie doll, or was that Caroline?"

Elena felt a red flash of anger explode inside her and gripped the edge of the couch cushion tightly. She'd learned to handle her blood cravings well, but her new, high range of emotions had hardly gone through any training and throwing herself into a high tense situation with Damon was probably not the best choice. "Go to hell."

He let out a chuckle and drained the glass. "Meet you there baby."

His wink sent chills down her spine and she shivered in place. Why did it always look like he was undressing her whenever he looked at her? "Don't you even want to know why I came over here?"

"I'm all ears." He gestured for her to continue, putting an entirely interested look on his face.

She stammered, not sure how to say it without sounding like a complete idiot. "I…I guess…I just, well I missed you okay?"

"Okay." He shrugged and set the glass on the coffee table. "Now what?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," he stood and walked over to her, sitting next to her a little closer then he needed to on the couch. "now that you're here and I'm here, what do we do?"

"I'm not going to bed with you."

He laughed outright then and shook his head. "Oh no, of course not. You'd rather go home and touch yourself, scream my name and wish I was there so much more than actually letting me touch you."

He slid his hand onto her knee, his devilsh smirk doing exactly what he wanted it to do. She felt her internal core energy heat up, yet she shivered beneath his touch. "Don't touch me."

She shoved his hand away and he only grinned, his hands up slightly in surrender. "I promise, from here on out to never touch you again until you ask for it. Better yet, until you beg me for it."

His smirk, his very essence had her leaning toward him. "Then you will be waiting a very long time."

"I don't have to touch you to turn you on Elena. You should know that better then anyone."

She watched with slightly wide eyes as his hand moved toward her, hovering an inch above her knee. Slowly, it traced a path up her thigh and over her hip. A breath of air was between his fingertips and the bare skin of her arm, but still he held back. She found her head falling back, welcoming his invisible touch to her neck and face. "I hate you." She whispered, opening her eyes to find him sitting back and staring at her.

"You can start begging anytime." He shrugged, acting nonchalant, but at the same time aching to brush her hair back from her face.

"I won't do it."

"Very well then." He moved even closer and reached out for her. "I'm calling a time out."

She didn't have time to speak before his hand fisted around her hair and drug her close. He didn't think he'd pulled hard enough for her to fall in his lap, which was why he was shocked when suddenly she was pushing him back into the cushions, straddling either side of his hips. The kiss was fast and hard, breath coming to both of them in short desperate gasps whenever their mouths broke contact. She clung to his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin, scratching down his chest and then suddenly, almost as quickly as it had began she was off him, off the couch and pressed against the wall a few feet from him. "I'm sorry Damon."

He let the wicked grin spread on his lips and slowly sat up, the scratch marks still red on him. "Don't apologize, I've been waiting to see that side of you again ever since that night at the hotel."

"It's crazy." She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "We're crazy. All of us, I mean…we're stuck in this crazy love triangle, and for what? Are we going to be like this for the rest of eternity now?"

"Elena." He sighed and stood, coming up to her. He kept a safe distance between them, the time out off for now. "I have an idea…if you're willing to hear it…"

She nodded, looking up at him finally when he lifted her chin with his finger tip. "How much more screwed up could this get?"

He laughed and stepped back slightly. "I'd like to take you out, on a date. Like a real date. You and me. No drama, no hunting, no worrying. Just a date."

Her eyes widened and she slowly took a second to realize that she'd never really been on an actual date with either Salvatore brother. Sure, Stefan had brought her flowers and they'd gone to the school fair, plus that one very bad double date with Caroline and Matt…but she'd certainly never gone out with Damon. The idea amused her and she found herself nodding. "Sure, I would…I would really like that."

"Good." He grinned and gestured toward the door. "I really think you should go though, before I call another time out and have you right here against the wall. After all, we do seem to be very good with walls."

She shivered at the tone of his voice and nodded, letting him lead her back into the hallway. "Good night Damon."

"Good night Elena." He stood there, just out of arms reach. When she'd turned and shut the door behind her he let out the breath he'd been holding. Now what the hell was he going to do?

Elena took a deep breath and let her back rest against the door. She'd very nearly relaxed enough to start the walk home when Stefan stepped out of the shadows. "Oh." She smiled and did her best to fix her hair, wondering if she looked ravished at all from the short stint she and Damon had on the couch. "Hi."

"Hello Elena." He stepped closer, keeping a respectable distance between them. "It's so nice to see you."

She stepped forward, not at all surprised at the brothers different reactions to her. "Damon hardly seemed pleased to see me."

"He's still angry for what you did. I understand though, you just needed your space."

"I did," she nodded and toyed with the hem of her dress. "I did need space, but now I'm just realizing how much of a mistake that was."

"You're forgiven." He held his arms out, and she stepped into them, comforted by his hug, but not nearly as excited by him as Damon's non touch. "I have a question for you…"

She pulled back and looked up at him. "I may have an answer."

"Would you be alright with us…trying again? I mean, we don't have to immediately go back to being together…but if you would like I would love to take you out on a date. We have eternity now, but that doesn't mean I want to waste any of it."

"So…you're asking me out?" she stumbled over the words, not believing the both Salvatore brothers had finally come to the same conclusion only moments apart.

"I am."

She hesitated, thinking of Damon inside. She'd promised him she'd go out with him…but not that it would be only him she dated. After all, who knew the number of women that had slipped in and out of his sheets in the last month. "Alright." She nodded and stepped out of Stefan's reach. "I would like that."

"Excellent." He grinned and held out his arm for her. "Would you like a ride home?"

"No," she shook her head and smiled politely. "I think fresh air would do me some good." She could already feel the nervous heat creeping up her neck. "We'll talk soon."

She stepped past him and down onto the driveway, promising herself that she wouldn't turn around and look back at him. Now what was she going to do?

_a/n: alright everyone, what happens next is partly up to you. Who calls first? Who gets the first date? Any date ideas just yet? I apologize for the seemingly long chapter, but my updates are much more spaced out lately that I wanted to give you all a little more._


	3. Chapter 3

_a/n: okay, so by public demand, Stefan wins the prize of first date. Those of you that voted Damon for first, I'm sorry- but to be honest I needed to get the Stelena crap out of the way first. I feel awful to be giving Stefan hardly any 'camera' time, but I just really can't stand him. Besides, we're all here for DE anyway, so I hope you all don't mind if I 'shuffle' through their date a bit. If you do want me to slow it down with the Stelena scenes I can. As for now, here we go!_

BROTHERLY BATTLE

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay_

Elena smoothed her hands down the front of her shirt and looked up into the mirror one more time. She practiced her smile and let it drop, then smiled again. Damon had called first, but he'd set up their date for Friday. Stefan had called second and set up their date for Thursday. It was almost torture for her, knowing that she was one night away from her very first date with Damon. The butterflies in her stomach went for another round of the waltz as she stepped back and grabbed her converse shoes from beneath her bed. She didn't want to think about Damon tonight. It wouldn't be fair to Stefan, so with great effort she pushed the startlingly blue eyes and the memory of his wonderfully harsh kiss into the back of her skull to dream about later.

It had been four days and her lips still tingled when she thought about the night she'd gone over there.

"You're wearing that?" Katherine asked carefully, and Elena noticed that she'd been standing in her bedroom doorway for probably a long time.

"Yes." Elena looked down. "Why, is there something wrong?"

Katherine paused, looking her doppelganger over and then shrugged. "I guess it is Stefan you are going out with after all. He isn't going to be taking any of it off, so really he shouldn't worry too much about what you are wearing."

"Kat!" Elena threw her a look and stood up from the mattress.

"I'm sorry, just pointing out the obvious. Were you planning on sleeping with him?"

"No of course not." Elena stalked over to her dresser and grabbed her brush, dragging it through her long dark hair. She'd done this twice already tonight but she didn't really know what else she could do to get ready. "Is there something wrong with me?" she asked, setting the brush down with a clack against the wood top and looking at Katherine. "I mean…I'm not even nervous."

The elder vampire sighed, coming to stand behind Elena. "That's the point of this isn't it? To see which brother you have the stronger connection with?"

Elena nodded. "Yes, but as of this moment…Damon is winning."

"He always was one to be the best at most games."

"This isn't a game." Elena glared at her twin's face in the mirror. "This is…it's…I don't know, life. Eternity. I can't keep playing both sides. I'll go crazy. I've tried being without them both, but I can't stand that either."

Katherine settled her hands on Elena's shoulders comfortingly and smiled. "Choosing between the Salvatore brothers is not an easy choice to make."

"You made your choice, you choose Stefan."

"I did, but there was always something in me that longed for Damon. He is intoxicating. The night they died, he had my blood in his system because I wanted him to. I wanted them both to come back to me. One day."

"When you came back to town, you only wanted Stefan. I don't want it to take 145 years for me to realize which brother I want."

Katherine smiled and smoothed Elena's hair back. "Then put a smile on your face and play the game, because comparing them side by side and listening to what your heart tells you…that's the only way you are going to make it."

* * *

Katherine's words played over in Elena's mind even as Stefan held his hands over her eyes. "Don't peek." He whispered in her ear.

She tried to concentrate on the moment, being in the moment. She could smell grass, rust and hear the tiny creak of metal in the wind. She'd had a nice time with Stefan so far, relaxing almost. They fell back into routine fairly easily, considering how much time had passed since they'd actually gone on a date together. "I'm not."

She moved with Stefan, her pack pressed tightly to his chest as he guided her across the field. Then suddenly they stopped and he was pulling his hands away from her face. "What do you think?"

Her eyes widened and she took an involuntary step forward. "How did you get this?"

He grinned, watching her as she stepped closer, running her fingers against the cool metal of the ferris wheel. "I made a few calls, did a little compelling."

That last bit earned him a slight glare but she couldn't help being charmed by his thought all the more. "It's wonderful."

Stefan's smile warmed her inside a little, but not in a enticing way. It was a familiar, comforting way. She was safe with him, safe to relax and be calm. Damon set her on edge, made her crazy. It was the best kind of crazy, but it was still an all consuming crazy that made her want to pull out her hair. Stefan held out his hand, and she cursed herself for letting her thoughts travel to Damon. "Shall we?"

She nodded, but ignored his hand and stepped into the first car herself. "All the way to the top please?" she smiled and it took Stefan a moment to recover from the independence his ex-girlfriend had taken on. It wasn't a new vampire habit, though throughout the night he'd thought it might be. No, her time with Damon and dealing with his own absence had made her stronger. She didn't need him anymore.

Stefan did his best to hide the anguish on his face and started the lever on the wheel. He watched her smile spread as she car moved up and around. When she was at the very top, she leaned over the edge and grinned up at him. "Aren't you coming?"

He felt his shoulders relax; at least she wanted him up there with her. Elena watched as Stefan climbed up the side of wheel, no freaky vampire jumps from him tonight. She got the impression he was doing his best to make her feel as human and normal as possible. When he was finally seated in the car next to her, it was only second nature for his arm to fall around her shoulders and her head to rest against his chest. They looked at the stars in silence for a minute and then she slowly tilted her face toward his. "Did you have a good time tonight?"

Elena thought back to his first knock on the door, the flowers he'd presented her with, the quiet but comfortable car ride. She remembered the deserted Grill, and how shocked she was that he'd managed to rent the entire restaurant for their dinner. He'd even cooked it himself. And now, here they were, sitting atop the ferris wheel again, the stars around them, the sky dark above them. It was perfect, it was romantic…but it was too perfect, too romantic. It wasn't real. "Of course." She smiled, not sure if she was lying or not. Fun…it was hard to say that her time spent with Stefan was fun. Yes, they'd laughed and they had inside jokes no one would ever understand. They had a bond that neither would forget…but fun…at least the kind of fun she craved didn't lie with him.

Still, she owed it to herself to commit and so she leaned up, her fingers wrapped in the lapel of his jacket, and she kissed him. His lips were soft, just like she remembered. His skin was warm, his breath sweet. Her body responded to the familiar heat, to the growl low in his throat but she could have easily stopped kissing him as she could have simply gone on. That wasn't passion, that wasn't desire. It was simply…familiar. Elena pulled back after what she hoped was a considerable amount of time, and then she let her eyes open. The craving for more clawed inside her, but it wasn't for more of him. It was just simply for more. "Are you alright?" he asked, his tone low.

She cleared her throat and pulled away gently. "I need a drink. Would you mind taking me home now?"

"Of course." He nodded, and always the perfect gentleman climbed out of the car, back down to the ground and moved the wheel to its original spot. When her feet were firmly planted on the ground, she looked up at him, wondering if he would try and kiss her again. The want was clear all over his face, but he only took her hand and led her out of the field.

* * *

Stefan pulled into the garage and shut the engine down. Tonight had not been the smashing success that he'd hoped it would be, but it had gone well enough that he'd manage to secure a second date with Elena. That fact kept him walking on clouds as he entered the house, not even Damon's dim mood bringing him back to earth when he spotted his brother lounging on the couch. He'd opted for the bottle rather than the more mature glass option, but either did the trick. "And how was your night?"

Damon's voice was a little slurred and Stefan stepped forward, the toe of his shoe hitting an empty bourbon bottle. It was the only one in sight, but apparently Damon had been deal with the fact of their date in his own way. "Incredible, thanks for asking."

Stefan went over to the bar, taking a blood bag from the small fridge concealed beneath the cart and poured the contents into a glass. Damon didn't move, just kept his eyes trained on the wall. If he got up, he could very well snap his brothers neck. However, this was a game and they had to play fair. It was his turn tomorrow and he would blow her mind. He just had to figure out what to blow her mind with. "Well I hope you didn't bore her too badly. I wouldn't want her to jump my bones within the first few minutes of our date because you left her needy and wanting."

"I believe our good night kiss was mutually satisfying. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how good that thing she can do with her tongue feels." Stefan smiled innocently, watching Damon's hand clench around the bottle so tightly that it cracked.

There had been no kiss after the one of the ferris wheel, but Damon didn't need to know that. "You remember our deal brother." Damon said slowly, taking a long drink.

"Of course." Stefan came over to the seat across from him. "Neither of us sleeps with her until she's made her choice. Of course…I've already had her. Are you sure you can risk never knowing what being with her is like?"

Damon was on his feet in a instant, glaring down at Stefan. "Don't push me."

Stefan held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, I'm just helping. You need a little push if you want to beat me. Don't forget Damon, I'm the one that pulled her out of the water. I'm the one that gave her life, brought her out of her depression."

"And I'm the one that was there when you abandoned her, then came back a murderous Ripper. Don't forget, _brother _all the times I made sure she was safe. After this, I'm done cleaning up after you. Elena will make her choice and we will go our separate ways."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Stefan toasted his brother, draining the glass. He licked the remaining blood off his lips and smiled. "Good luck tomorrow, I bet you're going to need it."

Damon watched Stefan stand, wondering just what had happened to his sweet baby brother.

_a/n: so…I made Stefan a little too villan-y in this chapter. I have a hard time writing him any other way. I can't handle the 'poor me' brooding Stefan…and honestly sometimes I think that's all an act. The Stefan we know; the Ripper Stefan is by far my favorite. At least when he's bad I can love to hate him._

_If you love the nice sweet Stefan, then clearly this isn't the story for you, because Damon is our hero. And he gets the next date and the next chapter all to himself. _

_Any last minute date ideas for me? I've got a few lurking around in my brain, but I always love hearing your thoughts._


	4. Chapter 4

_a/n: I want to thank everyone that gave me their feedback on the last chapter. A few of you- and you know who are- pointed out that a few of the characters are not quite…themselves. Well, a new season means new things…and we don't know how Elena's turning will affect anyone for sure. Yes, in my S4 Stefan is drinking human blood and he's playing a bit of both sides of the fence. I like him bad, it's sadly the only way I can tolerate him. I do believe there is more to him in terms of why he acts the way he acts but this is not a Elena/Stefan story…and you are not here for that so I shant dwell on that. So, there we have it. Sadly. Katherine is an entire different story. I LOVE her character. Evidently, I've thrown her into this fic when she really didn't NEED to be there. Her choices, actions and dialogue may seem a bit off, but I promise that once I set the tone of the love triangle dynamic I will be getting into her and Elena's relationship a little more._

_For now, enjoy date #2- the one we've been waiting for. I do hope that I do it justice. I've literally been biting my nails off over this chapter for weeks now._

SHADES OF BLUE

_Hold on, I'll be here when it's all done, you know…cause what's the point in chasing;_

_if I can't enjoy your face and we can't be wrong tonight…can we be wrong tonight?_

Elena fidgeted with the hem of her red sundress as she sat on the first step of the porch. Katherine had talked her into the blood colored garment, but it was thoughts of seeing the look on Damon's face when he first saw her that had her stepping into it and black sandals. With a sigh she pressed her hand flat to her stomach, wishing her aching nerves would settle. She'd spent time with Damon before, a lot of time. They'd shared meals, got sweaty training, gone on a few road trips. Really, being alone with him was nothing new. However her hands shook as if she were on a blind date, and when the familiar roar of his Camaro reached her ears she seriously considered running back into the house and locking herself in her room. She couldn't do this, she just couldn't.

Her inner voices of good and evil battled too long and by the time she'd almost made a choice, he'd pulled up in front of the sidewalk and was setting the car in park. She caught a glimpse of his face as he shut off the ignition and got out, but it wasn't until he was standing, closing the door that he got a good enough look at her to gain the reaction Elena had been praying for. The smug smile he'd placed on his lips faded away into pleased shock, his eyes turned a light sparkling blue much like the sky above them. Slowly he came around the car, up onto the walk.

They were frozen for a moment, him standing- her sitting. They just looked at each other, absorbed the sight and the peace. They'd looked at each other; stolen glances, quick meaningful glares, taunting looks of longing…but in all the stress and craziness they'd gone through the time to simply, calmly look at each other had been rare and fleeting. There were no interrupting brothers now, no big bad vampires to come around the corner and steal their moment. It was just them. Just Damon and Elena. Slowly, he moved forward taking in every inch of her bare legs, of whatever skin peeked out. Her neck was long and smooth, her hair straight and framed her face beautifully. Her smile was nervous but big, and she seemed quite in awe of him herself.

It wasn't until he was right in front of her, holding out his hand that she stood. "Hi." She practically mumbled, her nerves now a jumbling mess of butterflies attempting to crawl their way up her chest. "You're early."

"I thought I might be late when I saw you sitting out here." His tone was low, soft. She wanted to melt into it, into his arms, into the look he was still looking at her with.

"I couldn't stand one more minute in that house of horrors." She gave a little giggle and glanced back over her shoulder to find Caroline swiftly drawing the curtains to hide her face and the fact she'd been watching the entire time.

"I still find it odd that three women I have strong connections to are all living under one roof. I don't know whether to weep or rejoice."

"It is a bit like a strange fantasy isn't it?" she smiled, letting him lead her down the stairs and toward the car.

"Or a terribly erotic nightmare." He leaned close to her ear, whispering. When he pulled back, his smirk was back on his lips and he was back to the normal teasing Damon.

The serious 'first look' moment was over and they'd quickly fallen back into being them. He opened the door for her, helped her in and then promptly shut it. It surprised her that he walked around the back of the car at a human pace instead of rushing around the front like a vampire, but she took the time to settle herself and arrange her skirt over her knees. Quickly, she glanced at her reflection in the side mirror and let out a breath. She had no idea what she was getting herself into, as she hadn't asked Damon the details of the date. And he hadn't exactly offered. She wondered if he would go the strong romantic route, attempt to beat Stefan at his own game…but so far she saw no flowers and no chocolates. A sure sign that he was going to be doing this his way; whatever that way was.

When Damon was folded behind the wheel and the engine was started she'd managed to place a reassuring smile on her face. The blood bag she'd drunk down hastily this morning was not sitting in her system as well as she hoped and she wished briefly that she'd had some of the breakfast Caroline had offered her. Slowly, the human appetite she remembered was coming back to her and the craving for blood was easing off…but not quickly enough for her. Damon pulled away from the curb, slowly letting the volume on the radio increase. "Aren't you going to ask where we are going?" he spoke first, breaking the silence.

It hadn't been an uncomfortable quite they'd shared, but he wanted to hear her voice for the simple fact to remind him that this wasn't all some dream. "I trust you." She smiled, looking over at him.

Damon repressed the grin that threatened to split his face at her words and turned his eyes back to the road. "So, if I just keep driving you wouldn't say anything?"

She thought back to Georgia, to their night in the hotel when they'd gone to see Jeremy. Really, a road trip was static for them. If a little unexpected."

"I survived the first trip with only one set of clothes."

He laughed, taking in the sight of her in the dress once more. "You do look beautiful."

She felt the warmth spread through her chest at the compliment. She knew Damon thought she was pretty, but he'd rarely ever said the words. Mostly because it had been against the rules; her being his brothers girl and all. Right now she wasn't anyone's girl. She was her own girl and she basked in the moment of his words. "Thank you."

"Aren't you going to say anything about how I look?" he teased, letting his hand slide down from the steering wheel to slide over the head of the gear shift. Their hands were inches apart.

She bit her lip, remembering the way his dark blue jeans had hung from his hips when he'd stood before her on the porch. She loved the way he looked in a leather jacket but it was much too warm for that today. Instead he was wearing a navy blue tshirt, the fabric tight across his chest as he shifted the car away from the red light they'd stopped at. "I'm not going to tell you you're beautiful." She teased, slowly inching her fingers closer to the edge of her seat, towards his.

If Damon saw the movement he didn't comment on it. He barely even reacted to it. He did however let his wrist relax so his hand dropped down a few inches closer to hers. Their pinkies brushed slightly as the car went over a bump in the road. "I shall keep my offense to myself then."

She smiled at him, watching the way the sunlight played over his face, turned his eyes a sparkling cerulean. "I think you look the same as you always do. Devastating."

Even in all of Damon's years, no one had ever called him that. "Care to elaborate Miss Gilbert?"

She felt foolish, her eyes focused completely on his hand. She watched her own move forward and up, lock their fingers together as if her arm had a mind of its. Damon said nothing, just settled their wrists on the top of the gear shift more comfortably. His thumb occasionally swiping over her knuckles in a soothing pattern. "Perhaps one day I will tell you."

He smirked and turned away from the town limits. She noticed he detoured from the route that would take them over Wickery Bridge. Her knowledge of the town was vast as she'd lived here her entire life, meaning that she knew he was taking her to the Falls, and that the fastest way was over the bridge. Yet he took the longer way around, obviously not for the sole benefit of extending their time in the car. She rejected the urge to squirm in her seat even as the touch of him made her skin heat. She'd done a lot of things with Damon Salvatore; but she'd never held his hand. And yet, it felt like one of the most comfortable, familiar things in the world. Except for when he would squeeze slightly or move them to a more comfortable position.

A shot of energy moved from her fingers, up her arm and down into her stomach, a sign that the promise she made to herself about keeping her dates with the brothers PG was going to be hard to keep today. Especially since Damon had carved such a large amount of time from her day. She glanced at the clock on the radio. 4:32pm. How long did he intend to keep her with him? Her date with Stefan had not started until later in the evening and he'd had her home well before midnight. The look on Damon's face however, told her that there was a real chance she would not be getting home before sunrise; if he had his way. As if reading her mind, he glanced over. "How long can I keep you?"

"How late you mean?"

"Yes…do you have any plans with the _girls _later tonight?" He used the term loosely and she grimaced slightly.

"Not that I know of. I'm sure Katherine would have told me."

He hesitated for a few minutes and then sighed. "Are you ever going to tell me why you asked her to come help you with your transition?"

Elena looked down at her lap, unable to meet his eyes. She knew that there had been an unspoken agreement between them that if she ever turned it would be Damon that would get her through it. When she'd first been afraid that she might become a vampire, Stefan had held her and calmed her. But then she and Damon had grown closer and the ever impending doom of her turning loomed before them. They hadn't said the words, but they hadn't needed to. Until she'd gone and called Katherine that is. "It's a long story." She whispered.

He squeezed her hand, getting her to look at him. She was surprised to see a smile on his face. "Hey, what do you say we just spend today together. No questions, no drama. Let's just be."

She nodded, relief sinking her shoulders back against the seat. The heat from the setting sun was beating through the windows and falling across her skin. She didn't sparkle like the Twilight vampires, but when Damon glanced over at her, he was pretty sure she looked like she was glowing. They'd only been together a short time, and she was already looking better, feeling better. "Is tonight going to be a surprise?"

"Sort of." He tightened his grip on the steering wheel before forcing himself to relax. If she could do it, so could he. "Do you remember the night I almost died?"

Her eyes opened, memories playing back and forth through her mind. "Of course."

"Where did you find me?"

Slowly she lifted her head as he pulled off the road and onto the grass. They'd reached the falls. "In the town square. I had been looking for you, it felt like hours."

"Do you remember what everyone was doing there?"

"Watching Gone with the Wind."

He nodded, pulling the car to a stop in front of two tall trees. Tied to a branch from each one was a large white sheet. A projector was set up on a table, the movie playing already before them. Elena's eyes widened in amazement. He'd made her a private drive in movie theater. "I came to you that morning, asked for your forgiveness for things I really didn't deserve to be forgiven for. I was prepared to die, accepting it almost…but you saved me."

"Katherine saved you, Stefan saved you." Elena whispered quietly, looking up at him.

"You brought me home. You made sure I was safe, that I wasn't alone."

"For a first date, you're basing it off really morbid memories."

Damon smirked, and shook his head. "That night is hardly morbid…or have you forgotten the most important thing about it?"

She shrugged, looking back down at her hands. Carefully, he reached out a finger and lifted her chin up. "That was our first kiss."

She slowly let the smile creep across her lips, nodding as she remembered. "Of course."

He held her there, in place, in his gaze and she waited; expectantly. Her lips were slightly parted as she attempted to breathe, her head tilted back…but he never leaned in. Never closed the distance between them. Instead, he reached into the back seat and tugged a blanket forward. She watched him get out of the car; her heart sinking slightly in her chest. He hadn't kissed her; why hadn't he kissed her? She watched him walk around the front of the car, open the door and hold his hand out for her. "Would you like to join me?"

She nodded and let him pull her out, flushing when the heels of her sandals sunk into the soft ground. "I can't believe I wore these things. She mumbled, kicking out of them.

Damon laughed, and feeling daring, scooped her up and carried her over to a spot right in front of the car. She held onto him, her arms around his neck as he shook the blanket out and laid it down as best he could. "Pulling out all the stops are we?" she whispered in his ear, feeling his smile on his cheek.

"It is our first date." He smirked, settling her down on the blanket and going over to the table.

He fiddled with some stuff, and then all of a sudden there was sound, but she wasn't paying much attention to that. Elena's eyes were focused on the dark denim tight across his hips and the way they hung off him. She looked up as he turned around, returning her face to normal and smiling. "Come sit with me."

He obliged, folding himself next to her on the blanket. As a test, for both of them he kept a bit of distance between them. Within a minute she'd shifted over and had her shoulder pressed against his. "I haven't seen this movie in years." He mumbled, leaning back on his hands slightly to watch the evening light play with the color of her hair.

Elena let out a sound between a huff and a laugh. "Caroline loves this movie. She always wanted to be Scarlett. That means, she made me watch it."

"There is something about her that's very Scarlett like. Especially now that she's a vampire."

Elena thought about it for a moment and nodded. "I suppose so. And I guess you think your Rhett?"

"What me?" Damon asked, shocked sarcasm edging his tone. "Handsome, tough, charming…nah doesn't sound like me at all."

Elena let out a giggle, turning slightly toward him to slap his arm. Their eyes connected and she felt the same tug she had in the car. All she wanted was for him to kiss her. She could see in his eyes that he wanted the same, and decided that he was probably giving her time and space to adjust to being together like this. "Damon?"

"Yes?" his tone had deepened considerably during their small staring contest.

"Will you be terribly disappointed if we don't watch the movie?"

A smirk ghosted over his lips as he leaned forward. "Depends…on what we're going to be doing instead."

The next sound that came from him was a low groan as she pushed him down onto the blanket, straddling his hips with her thighs. Her lips were on his as they formed together, a easy rhythm appearing as fingers tangled in hair and tongues dueled with each other. "Is this an acceptable form of distraction Mr. Salvatore?" she gasped for air as his lips trailed down her neck.

He chuckled in her ear, nibbling her lobe for a moment as his hands found their way beneath her dress, and feeling brave he cupped her ass. "Very acceptable."

Elena sighed, then moaned as his fingertips dug into her skin, pressing her tighter against him. Any and all thoughts left her body as she felt him harden beneath her and through his jeans. "Don't stop."

"I wouldn't even if you begged." His voice was dark and dangerous and she shivered in excited fear. She knew she should be afraid of him but she couldn't help it. Especially now that she was just as invincible as he was.

"I'm not weak anymore Damon. Don't forget that."

He'd realized this long ago, but in the moment he'd forgotten he didn't have to treat her like a china doll. "Excellent point Miss Gilbert." He played along with her earlier name game, the mood from the movie easing them on.

However, he didn't feel like acting like a gentleman and from the way she was grinding against him, he got the idea that she didn't want him to either. She shrieked as he pinned her down on her back, tugging her legs up and around his waist as he leaned over her. The skirt fell down her thighs to reveal the black lace panties she'd thrown on at the last minute. Her 'just in case' panties as Katherine had called them. She blushed as red as her dress as his one eyebrow rose over the other. "Don't tease." She whispered and he smirked.

"Why would I?" He smoothed his hand down the inside of her thigh, brushing his fingertip over the elastic on the crease of her leg. "I think your obvious yet, wonderful seduction tactics are cute."

"I wasn't exactly going for cute." She grimaced for a moment, then his finger 'slipped' under to feel the wetness already tempting his nose.

"What were you going for then?"

"Disarmingly sexy."

"Then you shouldn't have worn them at all."

She watched as his gaze darkened, her eyes widening at the sound of them ripping. "What are you doing?"

"Showing you what you do to me." He answered honestly, taking her torn panties and stuffing them in his back pocket. "Let me do this Elena. I've wanted to do this for so long."

She watched, terrified and excited as he pushed her knees up more, settled her bare feet on his thighs and knelt down to taste the wetness he'd created. "Don't Damon, please."

"I warned you, not even if you begged." His voice was muffled but she heard him, felt the vibrations from his tone deep within her.

Did she really want him to stop? Any part of her that would have answered yes to that quickly died at the next sweep of his tongue. This time it was much more deliberate, right to the point. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fisted one hand in the blanket, the other in his hair holding him in place. This was insane, it was crazy, it was unexpected, it was altogether wrong and inappropriate. This was something two people did when they were together, in a bedroom. Not on a first date in the middle of a field with an old movie playing on a bed sheet. But they weren't sane, or normal, or altogether right. And really…they hadn't just met. They'd been together for a long time, she just hadn't realized it until this moment. And what a strange moment to realize it.

Perhaps she really was crazy…because even if Stefan had offered last night to do this for her she would have refused- and they'd been together. Of course the moment she'd gotten within the same atmosphere with Damon her body spiked interest to the stars. With Stefan it was familiar, comfortable but…familiar. Damon was new, he was rash, he was exciting. She was comfortable with him, but it wasn't comfortable to be near him. It was stressful and scary and out of this world. And she didn't want to lose that feeling for one minute. And then suddenly, her body was exploding under him and his name was falling from her lips in a rush of prayers and curses. He pulled back, wiping his mouth on the blanket and tugging her dress down her legs.

"Wow." She managed to breath out as he lay next to her.

He held in the cocky laugh and settled for a smirk. "That good huh?"

She wanted to smack him, but she couldn't manage it. Instead she rolled over to her stomach, leaning up on her elbows. "You didn't have to do that you know."

"Oh I know, but I wanted to. I've been dying to taste you for a long time. And not always your blood."

She shuddered and scooted closer to him. "Now what?"

"Now you bask in the afterglow and watch the movie. If and when you want to continue, I'll be here."

She nodded and laid against him. Focusing her eyes on the screen. "Can I have my panties back?"

He shook his head and smoothed her hair back with his fingers. "Not a chance."

_a/n: I am SO SORRY it took me so damn long to update. I started reading Fifty Shades of Grey and any spare moment I've not spent at work or taking pictures or dealing with hubby and house stuff has been spent reading that book. Damn Christian Grey and his kinky fuckery hehe_

_I do hope this was okay for you all. There will be more soon. The date isn't exactly over. _


	5. Chapter 5

_a/n: I am going to do my best at getting this finished before October so that I'm not worrying about writing my season four with the real season 4 playing and messing up my ideas. My relief at your guy's response to my last chapter is very high. I know you are all anxious to find out what happens next, so I won't keep you long with my chatter. We pick up RIGHT where we left off. Damon's got her panties and he's not giving them back._

_p.s sorry for the multi upload. silly me._

THE DIFFERENCE A NIGHT MAKES

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay_

In reality, Damon didn't care about the movie anymore. He wanted nothing to do with laying here calmly, her body wrapped in his arms. No, after what he'd just given her he wanted more. He wanted to feel her, have her skin pressed against his. And from the way she kept sighing and shifting next to him, he knew it wouldn't be too hard to convince her. On the other hand, he desperately wanted her to make the first move, or rather the third move. She had to be the one to choose him, and not just because he'd given her an earth shattering orgasm. Had she noticed the rip in the blanket she'd made with her hand because she'd been clenching so tightly? Then again, it was their first date and he didn't exactly want their first time to be a romp on a torn, dirty blanket in the middle of nowhere.

By the time Ashley had left Scarlett standing alone and walked back to war, Elena had, had enough. She rolled onto her stomach to get a better look at him, her hands clasped around his forearm. "I have a question."

He braced for whatever it could be but kept his eyes on hers. "Okay."

"Did you do _that _to get me to sleep with you? Did you hope that it would make me feel like I owe you something?" her tone wasn't accusing, just curious and he found himself smirking; knowing he could be cocky since he wasn't in trouble.

"Perhaps…a bit. I am selfish by nature."

She rolled her eyes and pressed up on her hands so she was leaning over him. "And if I don't want to return the favor?"

He waited a few beats, wondering how best to handle this Elena. She was playful, satisfied, coy. He'd never really seen her like this and it was confusing. Entertaining, but confusing. "I've waited a long time for you Elena. One more night won't kill me."

She smiled and crawled on top of him again, nestling her hips against his. "And if I did want to return the favor?"

He moved involuntarily up against her. Was it really this impossible for them to resist being close to each other, wrapped around each other? Had all this time of sexual tension and denial final broken her sanity and their ability to simply have a normal first date? "I wouldn't stop you."

"Hmmm." She let the low hum in her throat carry as she bent close to his neck, kissing and nibbling at the skin. "Here?"

"Up to you." He let out a long sigh as her fingers worked their way beneath his shirt, her nails drawing along the lines of his muscles. Part of him wanted her to tear his pants open and make him hers the way he'd made her his…but another part- the small shrivel of sanity that remained had him latching strong hands around her hips and stilling her above him.

"What's wrong?" she mumbled, not really letting his unspoken warning affect her, her fingers sliding down to hook in the belt of his pants.

"Let me take you home."

"Why?" she glared down at him, sitting up and setting her hands on his chest. "Why the hell would we stop, to drive home when we're in a perfectly romantic setting?"

"This isn't romance Elena." He looked around and then back at her. "If this is romance then you have another thing coming. I haven't even begun to win you."

She grimaced and stood up, leaving him looking up at her. "I am sick of this, I don't even want to play this game. I hate having you two fighting over me."

Damon pushed up on his elbows and watched her arms fold over her chest. Did she realize how she pushed her breasts up when she did that? "That's a lie. If you didn't like it you would have made your choice a long time ago."

Her cheeks flamed and she looked away. "That's not true."

Damon got to his feet, grasping her elbows in his hands and pulling her to face him. "Elena, please. Don't fight."

"You're the one that stopped me." She threw him a glare and he nodded.

"I did, I did stop you. But I stopped you because I love you."

Her eyes didn't widen at his words. She'd heard them before, she'd remembered the time he'd taken the memory away from her. "I know you do. That doesn't explain why you won't let me have you then."

"I want the best for you Elena. For us. We've had this back and forth going on for so long. Now that I finally having you willing, forgive me if I don't want to fuck you in the middle of nowhere. You haven't even made your decision as to which of us you want to be with. Do you really think that I could have your body, hold your very soul in my hands and then simply give you up when or if you choose Stefan in the end?"

Elena could see where he was coming from, but she'd also felt his erection beneath her and knew that his attraction and desire for her was real. It wasn't that he didn't want her, just that he didn't want her until he could have all of her. "I don't like it…but I understand it."

"Baby," he clasped her face in his hands and pulled her close. "I've never liked a single thing you've done but I've understood it. All is fair in love and war."

"Is that what this is?" she asked when she pulled back from the kiss. "War?"

"For me and Stefan, yes it is."

"I feel like Helen of Troy." She murmured and he laughed a little, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Try and take it like a compliment."

"I'm more worried you two are going to kill each other and I'll be all alone by the end of it."

He held her close, pressing her cheek to his chest and burying his face in her hair. "I promised you I would never leave you, Elena and I meant it. Unless you tell me straight out that you want Stefan and not me, I will never abandon you."

She nodded, her arms wrapped tightly around him. "So, did you have anything else planned for our first date? Or was this it?"

His eyes gleamed now that the serious moment of their night was over. "Was this not good enough?"

"I just wondered if there was more."

He smiled and took her hand, pressing his lips to her knuckles. "Come with me, and I'll show you."

Damon started toward the car but she pulled up short. "What about all this?" he paused to pick up her shoes and then scooped her into his arms to carry her over the soft ground.

"I'll compel someone to clean it up later."

She glared at him and he laughed, kissing her fast and hard. "I was kidding Elena. I'll come back after I know you're safe and sound at home."

She didn't speak, only let him put her in the passenger seat and waited until he was sitting next to her. The engine roared to life and she watched Gone with the Wind fade into the background as he backed out of the field. He hesitated, his hand over the gearshift before he reached over and clasped her hand in his. The air between them wasn't as thick and nervous as the first drive had been, but it was sexually charged. She felt the energy between them and looked over at him. "What are you thinking?"

He smirked and moved his eyes back to the road as the tires crunched with the gravel. "How badly I wished you would just choose me now so I could pull this car over and drag you onto my lap."

She blushed, amused and disturbingly turned on by his brashness. "That is tempting."

"Not tempting enough though."

* * *

When Elena looked back over her shoulder as Damon climbed back into the Camaro, she could help the face splitting grin. Her lips still tingled from his good night kiss, her feet barely felt the wood of the porch beneath them. Her skin still seared from where he'd touched, her arousal all the more obvious due to the fact that she still didn't have her panties back. The thought made her frown, but he only smirked and slid behind the wheel. He had no doubt followed her line of thinking. She waited until he was out of sight before she slipped into the house and closed the door behind her, leaning against the wood. She was biting her lip, remembering her incredible night when Katherine came down the stairs wrapped in a towel, drying her hair with another one.

"It's about time you got home." She teased, flipping her hair to the other side. "I'd ask how the older Salvatore handled the first date, but judging by the late hour I'd say the answer is positive."

All Elena could do was nod as her doppelganger settled on the ground floor. "Is it really that late?"

"You're home three hours later then you were when you went out with Stefan."

"Oh." Elena hugged herself and practically danced into the kitchen, Katherine following close behind. She'd been with Elena every day since her transition and not once had she seen her act like this.

"Did he hit you over the head or something?"

"No, why would you ask that?" Elena slid onto a stool at the island, her fingers idly playing with the edge of a placemat. "I'm just happy."

"You're…like…disgustingly…giddy." Katherine searched for the right words. "And horny from the smell of it."

Elena glared at her friend. "That was rude."

"Hey, someone had to say something about it." she shrugged and tightened the towel around her chest. Just then Caroline walked into the room in sweats and a white tshirt. "Whoa, who had sex?"

Katherine smirked and eyed Elena who blushed. "I did not have sex."

Caroline sauntered over and sniffed around Elena's head. "Sex, definitely."

"I did not have sex!" she said more forcefully and Katherine crossed her arms.

"Well you smell like sex. Damon sex too."

"And we all know what Damon sex smells like." Caroline came around the island to stand beside Katherine. It only solidified the judging feeling Elena was under and she looked down at the counter top. "Well, two of us at least."

"Do you have any idea how awkward it is, having the only two people I can confide in, have already slept with one of the men I'm deciding to spend eternity with?"

"Could be worse." Caroline piped up. "I could have slept with Stefan to." She wiggled her brows at Katherine, earning a smack on the ass as she passed by to the fridge.

"What Caroline is trying to say," said the eldest vampire. "is that their, our, whatever- the history shouldn't affect your choice."

Elena ran her fingers through her hair. "There is too much affecting my choice. I want to stay unbiased, fair to both of them…but honestly. Damon is winning."

Katherine held back her smirk. "You know why I came back to town last year. I did come back for Stefan, so of course I'm rooting for you to pick Damon. Stefan will never really let you go until he knows for sure that you don't love him anymore."

Caroline stopped drinking from the milk carton to gaze at her friends. "Hang on a minute. Are you two telling me, that no matter who Elena chooses, I get no Salvatore to myself?"

Katherine threw her a glare, before all the girls laughed together. "Shut up blondie." She shook her head and waved Elena away. "Go shower, get cleaned up and then you can tell us all about the romantic side of Damon."

"If he has one of course." Caroline spoke into the fridge.

Elena followed her orders and went upstairs. She could hear them talking below in the kitchen, but didn't bother to tap into what they were saying. She was glad for the excuse to have a shower. It would give her the time she needed to sort through the evening and decide what she wanted to tell them and what she wanted to keep to herself. As she walked through her bedroom door, she pulled her dress off over her head, the hum dying in her throat as she realized she wasn't alone. She clutched the dress to her chest desperately, finding Stefan sitting on her bed with a dozen roses in his hands. His eyes widened at her disheveled, naked appearance as she saw his eyes widened as he picked up the scent the vampires below had. No doubt he would jump to the same conclusions.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, closing her bedroom door behind her and feeling around for her robe. Why oh why hadn't she looked around her room before peeling off her dress?

Stefan averted his eyes, always the gentleman as she shrugged herself into the light blue terry cloth and tied the sash tight. Now all he could see were her legs and a small v of her neckline. However, the smell, he could still smell her. "I came to check on you." He stood, setting the flowers on the end of the bed. "Give you these, and ask for another date."

Elena's heart sunk. Did she really want another boring night with Stefan? No…but she felt she owed him that much. "Now really isn't a good time. You could have called."

"I know." He stepped away from the bed, toward her and she shrunk back against the door. "When Damon didn't get home I guess I was worried."

"I'm fine. We're fine. He should be home by now."

"It's not him I want to see."

There was something about the way he said that, that Elena didn't find very comforting. "Stefan, I think you should go. I've had a long day and I really want to go to bed."

He made a sound like a snort. "He tired you out did he?"

"No, not at all. Why does everyone assume that I slept with him?"

"Because you smell like him." Stefan's tone grew darker.

"No one invited you here to smell me." She glared at him and moved away from the door. "I'd like you to leave now."

Stefan was surprised at the back bone she seemed to have grown and closed his mouth before he could say anything to jeopardize his future. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

She sighed and opened the door. "It's late, Stefan. I will call you tomorrow."

"Alright."

He walked past her, not looking back and Elena shut and locked the door behind him, then the window too. She looked over at the flowers and picked them up, eyeing them carefully. Twelve perfect red roses. Perfect, like Stefan. But was Stefan so perfect? Hardly, not even at all. Shaking her head Elena carried them into the bathroom and deposited them in the waste basket. She couldn't think about Stefan right now. She just wanted to shower and go back downstairs to get the interrogation with over as soon as possible. No doubt they would want any and all info about the fancy French restaurant he had taken her to and the near buffet of deserts he'd ordered for them to share. He'd made her try a bite of each, some that had made her crinkle her nose in disgust, others that had made her moan. Those he helped her finish, watching her carefully for which plates she cleaned.

He was such a conundrum of a man; completely unexpected with a do-it-himself drive in and then the cliché but completely romantic restaurant. He hadn't closed it down like Stefan had with the Grill. No, it had been full of people. Busy, loud, alive people. Couples on dates, old, and young. They'd spent hours sitting there, eating and deciding the life stories of everyone they saw. It had been refreshing, and strange, and exciting. Her face almost hurt from all the laughing they'd done. Her particular favorite had been the red headed lesbians in the corner that couldn't keep their hands of each other. He'd been incredible all night. Dashing and sexy, romantic, challenging. He'd even asked the waiter if she could light the cherries jubilee on fire. At first she hadn't wanted to, but he looked so excited for her that she couldn't say no. He made her better, just like she made him better.

Before stepping under the hot spray she looked at herself in the mirror. "Oh Elena, what are you doing?"

* * *

Elena had survived interrogation and was just climbing into bed when her cell phone rang. Damon's name flashed across the screen and she felt her heart leap into her throat. Either something had gone terribly wrong or something was about to go terribly wrong. He never called her for any good reasons. She quickly snatched up the phone and turned her lamp on. "Is everything okay?"

He chuckled. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"

She sighed, settling back against the pillows. "Name one time you've called me with good news."

"I guess you make a valid point. Did I wake you up?"

"No." Elena reached up and shut her light back off, casting the room in darkness. "In fact I was just getting into bed."

"Mmm." He made an appreciative sound and lowered his tone to a deeper octave. "What are you wearing?"

She giggled and tugged the blanket up over her chest. "Oh, something incredibly sexy of course." She teased, when in reality she had on a pair of Jeremy's old sweats and a Timberwolves tshirt that no doubt belonged to Matt once upon a time.

"I was hoping your answer would be nothing."

She shivered at his words but did her best to keep her voice even. "Oh, and I suppose you think you stole the only pair of panties I have?"

"Oh no Elena, I know exactly how many pairs of panties you have."

She blushed, remembering how he'd gone through her underwear drawer. "Who's to say I haven't gotten more since then?"

"Who's to say I haven't looked since then?"

"Damon!" she scolded and he laughed. After a few beats of comfortable silence she rolled to her side. "So why are you really calling?"

"I wanted to see how you were. Stefan told me he…saw you."

"Yes," Elena sighed and glared at the dark opening of the bathroom where the stems of the roses could be seen peeking out of the wastebasket. "He came to ask me for another date."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him I would call him tomorrow."

She could hear his smile. "Or I could save you the trouble, march downstairs and tell him you've chosen me."

"You'd like that wouldn't you? Rubbing it in his face?"

"Does it make me an awful person if I say yes?"

"A little."

"Then I guess I'm a bit of an awful person."

"I think I'm worse." She admitted, feeling a little sick at the thought. She was playing them, and now they all knew it was a game.

"Elena, you're just trying to decide which of us is best for you. He thinks it's him. I think it's me. We need your opinion. You're the tie breaker."

"I don't want to be the tie breaker."

"Well we can't move to Utah." He said quietly, but there was a hint of humor in his voice. "Not unless you bring the Barbie doll and the bitch along."

Elena snorted and switched the phone to the other ear so it was between her cheek and the pillow. "So we can all live together in a big house and swap bedrooms?"

"Hey, wouldn't kill us to try."

"You're disgusting." She laughed and shook her head.

"You have no idea."

"And I suppose the thought of a threesome with me and Katherine hasn't crossed your mind."

"Clearly it's crossed yours." He pointed out and she blushed.

"Only because you brought up the Big Love arrangement."

"Now that's great television." He smirked, she could hear his smirk and rolled her eyes.

"You and me and Katherine would be like me asking for a night in bed with you and Stefan."

Damon let out a disgruntled groan. "Don't make me puke all over my satin sheets."

She laughed, then paused. "You don't have satin sheets."

"I do tonight." She could hear his smirk again.

"So you were planning on bringing me home."

"I think to be prepared Elena. Can't blame a guy for that."

"No, I guess not." She rolled onto her back again, staring at the ceiling. So was Stefan mad when he got home?"

"I don't know. Ask my broken nose."

Elena grimaced. "He hit you?"

"Once or twice." Damon tried to pass it off, which led Elena to believe they'd been in a much bigger fight.

"I'm sorry."

His tone turned serious. "Elena, after today I could take a thousand beatings if it meant seeing that look on your face again and hearing my name on your lips."

She blushed and wiggled down into mattress, both embarrassed and turned on. "That's a bit dramatic don't you think?"

"A bit." He admitted, but she could tell he was being honest. "How did the girls react when you got home?"

"Katherine wanted to know if we had sex. Apparently I smelled like you."

"I'm glad I showered before Stefan got home, though the damage was already done by then. Besides, I think I'd have to have a dozen showers to completely erase the smell of you from my skin."

She blushed, thankful for the phone and the dark. "Caroline reminded me that they've both slept with you."

"Third time's the charm." He was teasing again, but with that serious undertone.

"Rain check." She smiled at his offer and closed her eyes. "Damon?"

"Mhmm?"

"I'm tired."

"Then go to sleep."

"I don't want to hang up."

He chuckled. "What do you want?"

She hesitated. "I don't want to sleep alone. I hate sleeping alone. I thought that being a vampire would make the dreams go away, but it didn't."

Now it was his turn to stay silent. "Do you want me to come over?"

"Just to sleep." She enforced, her heart suddenly racing.

"Just to sleep." He agreed and they said goodbye quickly.

Elena lay very still for a minute, cursing herself for what she'd just done. Then she threw off the blankets and dove toward her dresser. She tugged open the second drawer and fished under her sweat pants and sleep sets until her fingers found silk in the dark. She quickly tugged off her comfy clothes and slipped into the nightgown Caroline had let her borrow once. She was suddenly thankful she'd never given it back. A last second thought had her unlocking the window before she climbed back into bed, tugging the blankets back up to her chin. It seemed like hours before she heard the familiar sound of Damon's footsteps landing on her carpet. She didn't move, not even when he slid into bed beside her. He was cool from the night air, chilling her flushed skin. "That was fast." She mumbled, adjusting to the feel of having him next to her.

His arm snaked around her tentatively, feeling the silk. "I can run faster than my car drives. When I'm giving something to run for."

She gasped, feeling his hand flatted against her stomach. Slowly it slid down her stomach until it found the hem of her gown and then beneath it. "What…what are you doing?"

"Don't worry." He whispered comfortingly; tucking his hand under her waist. "I just want to feel your skin. Sleep Elena."

She nodded and sunk into him, listening to his breathing and letting his presence relax her.

_a/n: I do hope you all enjoyed the second half of the first Delena date. A few of you mentioned that you would like my twisted, dark mind to take a few steps into the world of Fifty Shades…anyone else up for that?_

_If not, I will of course stay with Delena. We've gotten over the hump of the first date. Now the war will really begin. You all have my love and unyielding gratitude for going on this silly journey with me. I am still accepting date ideas!_


	6. Chapter 6

_a/n: I think part of what's keeping me from finishing this story is the fact that I don't want to rush it. I mean, here we are chapter 6 and it's already so obvious that she should pick Damon. To us fans, to him, to her, to everyone. I feel like I should have started the first chapters back in the beginning of what I believed would be a good season beginning and then gone on to this. I feel like I've cheated myself, this story and especially you guys quite a bit with that and I'm sorry._

_I am considering going back and adding a prequel chapter to the beginning. Would anyone be interested in that? As for my last chapter I asked you all what you thought about me slipping into the world of 50shades. I did not mean for this story however. I could never even picture that for this fic. I meant soley as going and writing that fandom with those characters. No Delena at all. So when this fic is completed I may take a shot in the dark and have my hand at Christian and Ana for a oneshot._

_As for now, my loyalties lie with Delena._

THEIR MORNING AFTER

_I don't care what clothes you wear, it's time to love and I don't care_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

Elena woke up slowly, sleep easing away from her. She stretched a little, surprised to find a warm body next to her. She hadn't moved during the night, not even an inch. Normally she tossed and turned, normally she woke up with the blankets tangled around her ankles or on the floor. But not this morning, no Damon's presence had kept her calm and safe and she smiled at the thought. She hadn't felt this rested in months…years. The one night he had slept in her bed before she'd woken up to find him gone. He'd stayed this time though, and she wiggled herself closer to him, feeling the heat of his chest against her bare back. She was still wearing the silk nightgown and between that and the feel of his skin she felt like she was in heaven.

"Good morning." His voice was gruff, deep as if he'd just woken up to. His arm tightened around her instinctively and she smiled.

"How did you sleep?" she asked, rolling over to face him, a little yawn escaping as you did so.

Damon smirked at her, taking in the sight of her half open eyes, messy hair, pink cheeks. Waking up next to her was one of the most incredible things in this world. "Better than I have in decades. You?"

She snuggled close to his chest, the tip of her nose cold against his skin. "Same."

His fingers tangled in her hair, playing with the ends, combing it through. "Do you have any plans for today?"

Elena nodded, peeking up to look at him. "I do."

"Any chance I could be a part of them?" he asked, framing her face with his hands and pressing a light kiss to her forehead.

"I wish." She sighed wholeheartedly. "It's girls day though, I doubt you want to hang out with us. Caroline _needs _to go shopping and once a mall gets involved Kat can't stay home."

Damon let out a loud laugh and Elena clapped her hand over his mouth. "Shhh." She giggled, shaking her head. "They can't know you're here."

"I'm sorry." He wrapped his hand around her wrist and tugged it down so he could speak. "Just hearing you say that about Katherine is…it's funny. I can barely picture her at a mall."

"It's not as odd as you might think." Elena smiled.

"Is that how you got this?" he asked, fingering the hem of her nightgown.

She flushed a few shades pinker and shook her head. "No, it's Caroline's. I don't have anything like this."

Damon's eyes darkened a bit and he lifted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. "I think you should get some today when you go shopping."

"Oh you do, do you?" she smiled and kissed him quickly. "You like lingerie?"

"What man doesn't?" he rolled over so she was between him and the mattress. "And just so you know, your roommates have been well aware of my presence since I got here."

Elena let out a groan and nodded. "Hyper-hearing. Right." She looked up at him. "You would think that since I'm a vampire and all know I would remember things like that."

He chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose. "Should I leave?"

The look on her face told him she didn't like the idea at all. "Probably."

His heart fell a little but he knew it was best for all of them. She hadn't made her choice yet and he wouldn't let himself get comfortable in her arms or her bed until she did. "I understand."

She pouted a little when he pulled away, but the nice view of his ass and muscled back had her sitting up to watch him get dressed. "You were naked in my bed?"

He looked back at her over his shoulder and smirked. "Couldn't you tell?"

Her blush deepened even more intensely as she shook her head. "I felt your bare legs but I didn't think you would have actually gotten into bed with me naked."

"I wasn't going to sleep in my jeans Elena." He said matter of factly as he tugged the dark denim up his hips and turned around to face her. She caught a flash skin before he'd done the fly up and bent down to grab his shirt. "You know I don't wear anything underneath them."

"I guess I did know that." She mumbled as he slipped his arms into his shirt and started doing up the buttons. "I didn't know watching you get dressed could be so sexy."

"Wait till you see me get undressed. I'll dazzle you."

"I'm sure you would." She watched him shove his boots on and lean down over the mattress to kiss her.

"I'll see you later?" she could hear the desperate question hidden behind the defined tone but she chose to ignore it.

"I hope so." She smiled and watched him leave. She wanted to stop him from going through the front door, but if both girls already knew he was there what was the point?

Not three minutes after the door closed downstairs, two female vampires descended on her, tackling her back down onto the bed. "You slept together!" Caroline exclaimed, taking in the sight of the nightgown quickly. "And you used my silk to do it!"

"We did not sleep together."

Katherine looked around the room and shook her head. "They definitely didn't do it. There isn't one piece of broken furniture. And this," she said pointing at Elena's nightgown. "isn't torn to shreds."

"Oh." Caroline's face fell and she nodded. "I guess those are good points."

"Are we gonna go shopping or what?" Elena asked, hoping the idea of the mall would distract either women from interrogating her further.

* * *

Damon walked through the still open door of the Boarding House, taking in the sight of the upturned couch, the broken shards of the coffee table and the sideways bar cart. He could smell the whiskey in the air, glass crunching under his boots as he walked into the den. "Stefan?"

"Did you enjoy my leftovers brother?" Stefan asked, stepping into Damon's line of sight. "Did she welcome you into her bed, into her body with open arms?"

"We slept together Stefan, that's it. Grow up." Damon lifted the bar cart back on its wheels and began righting the glasses that hadn't been shattered last night during their brawl.

"You always have to take what's mine don't you? First Katherine. Hell, even Rebekah has been in your bed. Does family mean nothing to you? I came back here for Elena."

"You came back here because she looks like Katherine. You saved some girl in a car that was drowning. If she'd had a different face you would never had given her a second thought. Admit it, the only thing you really give a shit about is Katherine! That's what this all comes down to!"

"She got us killed! She turned us and then left. Ran away. I don't believe her love for me anymore than I believe the loyalty we had remains."

"Whatever that woman did to us, to you; she did love you. She still does. Personally, I don't understand it but when I offered her everything she turned me down. She said it was always going to be you. Stefan, she's loved you for 145 years. And based on your choice of women she's hardly been far from your mind. Let Elena go, just be with Katherine."

"You'd love that wouldn't you?" Stefan stepped over a domino effect trail of books that had been thrown to the floor last night when they'd cracked the bookshelf in half from the force of their fight. "Have me step back into the shadows and let you live happily ever after with my girlfriend."

Damon slammed down the glass in his hand so hard there was a new crack in the crystal. "She's not your fucking girlfriend! You left her!"

"In exchange to save your life!"

Damon felt the guilt tear inside him and knew his brother was right. If he'd died from the werewolf bite, if Stefan hadn't traded his life away for Klaus's blood none of this would be happening. "It's not like I took her to bed the day you left town Stefan. We searched for you. She didn't sleep or eat for weeks because you were gone. Someone had to make sure that she kept herself alive, and it wasn't going to be you."

"Because I was keeping you alive!"

"I know that and I'm sorry! Alright. I'm fucking sorry." Damon came around the bar cart to face his brother. "She didn't even chose me anyway."

"But she will." Stefan's voice dropped from yelling to quite fear. "And you know that."

"I don't know what move that girl is going to make any more than you do. Especially now that she is living with the same curse we are."

"You honestly think there is a chance that she will pick me when this is all over?"

Stefan sounded almost desperate and as a big brother it broke Damon's heart a little. Blood was thicker than water and no matter how much Damon hated him, no matter how badly he wanted him to pay for all the decades he spent alone; he still loved him. "Stefan, it's always you."

The younger Salvatore watched as Damon turned and went upstairs. He slowly looked around the den at the mess they'd made last night. Their fight had been fairly equal, but they'd healed and the house hadn't yet. He walked over to the couch and put it back in its place. If he was going to win Elena he was going to have to stop focusing all his attention and energy into fighting with Damon. The only thing keeping them apart was her fear that he would leave her again. How was he going to prove to her that he would never chose anything over her for the rest of his life?

* * *

When the girls pulled up in front of the house later that night, all the laughter in the car died the moment they saw Stefan standing on the porch. Elena's heart leapt to her throat and stayed there. "What's he doing here?" she whispered.

"I don't know." Katherine parked the car and shut off the engine. "Go find out."

"Maybe she doesn't want to find out." Caroline piped up, leaning forward to put a hand on Elena's shoulder. "We can just drive away."

"No." Elena shook her head and opened the car door. "I have to face him eventually."

"Are you going to tell him you choose Damon?" Katherine asked ,watching as her doppelganger stood from the car and took her bags with her.

"No, because I haven't made my choice yet."

"Don't be stupid Elena." Katherine warned. "They won't wait around forever. Not again."

"Then I guess I'm not meant to be with either of them." Elena turned from the car and went up the steps to the porch. "Hello Stefan."

He took in the sight of her and the half dozen bags she'd brought from the car. "I see you were busy today."

"There was no room left in the trunk for my things after Katherine and Caroline bought half the mall." Elena walked around him and into the house, the door still unlocked. Why couldn't Caroline remember to lock it?

"Can I come in?" Stefan asked, hovering on the porch still.

Elena looked back at him. "You haven't needed my permission to enter this house in a while Stefan. You showed me that last night."

"I know your mad at me." He said gently, following her in and then up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Mad isn't the word Stefan. More like disappointed." She set the bags down on her bed and turned to face him. "Why did you break Damon's nose?"

Stefan almost laughed. "He's not exactly fragile Elena. I'm sure it was healed by the time he got here."

Elena heard the flash of venom in his voice and it made her curious. She'd rarely heard that tone, and only when he was drinking. "Your back to blood bags I see." She sighed and kicked off her shoes.

"It's not like you're on the bunny diet either Elena." He stepped forward and she felt her back tense. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, it wasn't that she was afraid he would hurt her. It's just that she didn't feel this particular need to be close to him. Not like she used to.

Her choice was clear, it was screaming and jumping up and down inside her like a cheerleader on crack. Damon. She wanted Damon. So why couldn't she just say it? "Why are you here Stefan?" she asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

She could hear Caroline and Katherine on the first floor below them but she didn't bother to listen to what they were saying. She'd learned from experience it was usually about her and she usually didn't want to know. "I came to apologize for last night, and to ask for a second chance. I'd really like to try this date thing again."

"Stefan, I don't think it's a good idea." She looked up at him, seeing the pain in his eyes. Her desire not to hurt him, to keep him safe was heightened now and she found her resolve crumbling. Why was being a vampire so difficult? It wasn't as if human emotions were harder to deal with, did she really have to go through having even more powerful ones too?

"Please." He took her hands in his and pulled her closer. "I know I left you here, in this town. I know that you felt abandoned and confused and scared. I know you turned to Damon because he was the only one you could turn to. But I'm back, and I'm not going anywhere and I love you Elena. I do love you."

Elena took a deep shattering breath, looking up at him. "I don't know what I want Stefan. I do know that I don't want to hurt either of you, and that this sick game we are playing is only making it worse for the both of you. I loved you so much at one time, and it's hard to just let something like that die, but the way I feel about Damon, what I feel for Damon…I can't just ignore it Stefan."

"Go out with me tomorrow night. Please. Let me take care of you, show you what it's like to be with me again." He held her hands between his. "I could never hurt you like that again."

Elena felt like she was being torn in two and she closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. She couldn't say no to this man. He'd given her a second chance, brought her back to life. "Tomorrow night." She agreed quietly.

* * *

When Damon heard the door slam beneath him, his hand tightened around the phone. At least she'd managed to call him before Stefan got home. She'd told him everything, right down to the last word Stefan had said. So, baby brother was going to play dirty. He was toying with her heart, that's all. He knew what buttons to push and he was going to keep pushing until he got his way. There was no other way around it. Damon stepped out of his bedroom, stopping Stefan in his tracks. "Did Elena call you?"

"She did. I can't wait to hear all about the date from her at breakfast the next morning."

And with that, Damon turned and shut his bedroom door with a resounding snap of the lock. His brother wanted war, fine. War is what he was going to get.

_a/n: sorry the chapter was a bit shorter than normal. There will definitely be some Delena action in the next few chapters though. _

_Let me know if you would like a prologue chapter or two. _


	7. Chapter 7

_a/n: first off, I want to thank all of you for giving me feedback and your thoughts. I tend to babble a little too much, but I want you to know the person behind all these fics and I hope my notes give you a little inight into the girl that is taking her time to write for you (and myself of course. _  
_As by popular consenses I will not be going back and writing a prequel chapter, but I will be adding 'flashbacks' here and there if they seem to fit.  
__I do really want to explore my take on how I think S4 should go and thanks to the little previews we keep getting it's looking like my theory of Kat and Caroline being there for her is completely wrong. I knew it would be, but I was just SO hoping.  
__Anyway, we've got less than a month till October 11__th__ hits and you know what else that means? Halloween fic time again! I had so much fun writing Halloween fics last year that I'm honestly excited to get back into that. This year I am 99% sure that I am dressing up as Catwoman. Get it? Cuz my name is Cat? Haha (well Cathrine- but you know what I mean) In fact I'm orchestrating everyone at my work to be Batman characters and if it goes well then that night should be pretty epic! Enough from me. We're here for Delena._

SHARED DREAMS AND NIGHT THINGS

_And if I was running, you'd be the one who I would be running to_

_And if I was crying, you would be lining the cloud that would pull me through_

_And if I was scared, then I would be glad to tell you and walk away_

_But I am not lying, I am just trying to find my way in to you_

Elena rolled over, a small moan escaping her mouth as she kicked the blankets to the floor. She was cold, so cold. Even in sleep she could only remember being this cold once.

* * *

_The taste of metal was in the air. Or was it that she could smell it? She could taste smells? How was that possible? Her throat felt like it was on fire; her chest felt tight as she tried to suck oxygen into it. Why was it so hard to breath? She couldn't feel anything, nothing but cold and darkness. Was it possible to feel darkness? She could remember the cold water, the dark water. She could feel her damp clothes on her body, her cold hair against the back of her neck but she couldn't move and she couldn't breathe. This was like waking up from a deep sleep, but one that held on like a noose. Part of her didn't want to wake up. Part of her wanted to stay in the deep darkness and settle away inside it._

_Then air was being forced into her lungs, into her body like a harsh stabbing. Her heart lurched in her chest and she felt like she'd been slammed by a bus. She gasped, sitting up and looked around. The taste of metal in her mouth was still there, the taste of the smell. She could taste more smells now. Why were the lights so bright. They were blindingly bright. And the cold beneath her wasn't just her clothes anymore. The cold was the taste of the metal, the shiny slab she was laying on. She could hear the hum from the lights, feel the hard pounding thumps of her heart as it forced blood back through her veins. Slowly, inch my inch her body came back to life. _

_Back to life. Oh no. _

_Then she felt hands tight on her shoulders, shaking her. She opened her eyes again, blinded by the light once more. She adjusted more quickly this time and settled on Stefan before her. The first thing she saw was the relief, the love on his face. "Stefan?" she whispered and her throat burned again. How much water had she swallowed?_

_"I'm here Elena." He sounded so loud, so far away. How could he be both things? Was he even real? She reached up numbly, slowly. Not sure of her own body and wrapped her hands around his wrists. He felt real. He felt warm. Why had he dried off and she hadn't?_

_"Where is here?" she mumbled, feeling the darkness pulling her back in. "Stefan? Stefan what happened?" The last thing she heard before she fell back on the cold metal was a door banging open. Loud, but far away. It echoed in her mind. On reflex she glanced toward the sound, on guard even in death. Blue eyes, blue worried eyes. "Damon?"_

* * *

"I'm here." His voice was deep, demanding. It pulled her right out of the dream, out of the memory. "Wake up Elena. It's just a nightmare."

Elena let him pull her up, she could feel the thin cotton fabric of her tshirt stuck to her sweat soaked skin. She could feel his rough hands force her damp hair back from her forehead. "It wasn't a nightmare. I was remembering."

He tensed, remembering the last time she'd remembered. It had been the only call he'd gotten from her after he and Stefan had brought her home from the hospital.

* * *

_It had been twelve hours since Elena had agreed to turn. It hadn't been an easy choice for her to make, and not an easy one for him to help her go through with, but it was what had to be done. He'd watched her wipe the fresh blood from her mouth with the back of her hand, the pain and the hate in her eyes as she'd looked up at him. At first he'd thought it had been for him. That she hated him, for what he'd turned her into. Only it wasn't, she hated herself. She hurt because she was now a monster. She'd run from him, not the first time but it was the first time he'd been unable to catch her. With newborn speed and fresh blood in her system she was fast. Faster than he was._

_He'd thought she would come back, that she just needed some time to get used to the idea. To adjust. But days had gone by and neither he or Stefan had heard from her. He'd called, he'd left messages. He'd even shown up at the house. Katherine had turned him away and her bedroom window had stayed closed. She didn't want to see him. She didn't want to see either of them. Then one night, around 2am his cellphone rang. He could tell from the sound of her voice that she'd been crying._

_"You bastard."_

_"Elena, what's wrong?"_

_"Don't pretend that you don't know. Because I know. I know everything. I remember everything."_

_His heart stilled in his chest for a moment. "Everything?"_

_"Why didn't you save me that night Damon? Why was it Stefan that found our car? You were there. You were right there! You had to have heard the accident!"_

_"I didn't…I…I was already gone by then." He'd wanted to hold her, be there for her when she remembered those nights. "I left as soon as you get in the car."_

_"You should have stayed. You could have stayed."_

_"I wish I had." He knew that if he'd heard the accident he could have been there. Maybe not in Stefan's place, but he could have at least helped. He could have saved one of her parents, maybe both of them. Would he have come out that night? Would he have risked his brother seeing him to save a girl he didn't even know? "Elena, please believe me. I'd give anything to go back to that night."_

_"You took my memories away from me Damon! You took away my choice!"_

_"I know."_

_"And you took it away again that night you told me you loved me."_

_"I know."_

_She was silent then. She had more to say, he could tell from her breathing, but he didn't ask and she didn't go on. He knew she needed time, that's all she ever needed from him. Time to choose, time to think, time to forgive. The line went dead and he stared at his phone. Time was nothing now, not that they both had eternity._

* * *

"Tell me." He lay back against her headboard, folding her body against his in the darkness of her bedroom.

"The first time I woke up. In the morgue."

His chest tightened at the memory. "I came in just as you passed out. You called my name."

"You weren't there. You weren't there when I woke up."

"I came as fast as I could."

"I know. I know you did." She settled her head on his chest. "You thought I was dead."

"I'd just watched Ric die, again. I knew what that meant. Then Meredith told me she fed you my blood that morning. And I'm sorry but I was thankful. I was relieved. I needed you to be alive Elena. I still need you."

He slid a finger under her chin and brought it up so he could look down at her. The room was completely dark but for them it didn't matter. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, one that was simple but spoke volumes. She could feel the guilt in it, the gratitude, the relief. The love. He did love her, there were no doubts. "And I need you."

Her hands slid up under his shirt, her skin desperate to feel his. She didn't wonder until that moment what he was doing there, in her room. She didn't invite him over, he was just there. When she needed him. "I'm sorry I snuck in." he whispered, pulling back from the second kiss. "I had to see you."

"It's okay. I'm glad you're here."

Her fingertips grazed over his stomach, drawing along the lines of muscle and up. He felt the fabric of his shirt pull and move with her as her hands searched more of his body. He closed his eyes, let her explore. Her lips were on his neck; sucking and then biting. Her hands were smooth and gentle on his skin, then she was dragging her nails along his chest and down. Her body was soft next to his, then suddenly she was on top of him, completely against him. He opened his mouth to gasp and tasted her tongue, tasted her. Her fingers were in his hair, tugging and pulling his face everywhich way so she could devour him. More, she wanted more. She wanted to feel alive, feel crazy and Damon gave her that. He gave her that and more.

"What are you doing Elena?"

"I'm choosing you." She whispered, her hand tight around his collar and he could hear the strain on the fabric. Then she'd ripped open his shirt and he nearly flinched. Goodbye John Vervatos.

* * *

Damon sat straight up in bed, his hands fisted in his sheets. He could have torn them to shreds in frustration. A dream! It had all been a fucking dream!

With a curse he threw the blanket off and stalked over to the bedroom door, flinging it open. He'd managed to rid himself of dreaming about Elena for a while now. Why? Why had the erotic dreams come back? He didn't care about being quiet, about not waking Stefan. He stomped down to the den and straight to the bar cart. When he had a drink in his hand he moved over to the fire, the burning alcohol soothing his nerves. He jabbed the sleeping logs once harshly, and the calmly stoked the fire back to warmth. Even as a boy, making a fire, watching it spark and grow calmed in. In the army he'd done the same thing and when he'd returned home from the war, the nights when Katherine refused him or he knew she was with Stefan he would go hide in the library and watch the flames.

Fire was life. Fire was passion.

And that dream sure had been both.

* * *

Elena punched her pillow in frustration. Not that she'd wanted the nightmare or anything, but the almost sex dream of Damon was not going to make her date with Stefan any easier. She groaned and pushed herself up, knowing that going back to sleep was going to be impossible. She peeled off her sweaty clothes and threw on a robe from the back of her door instead. Blood, that's what she needed. Carefully, she creeped down the stairs, hoping not to wake up the other women. The last thing she needed was explaining to them why she was awake. Grabbing a glass from the cupboard she tried to shake the real feeling she'd felt when she'd dreamt of kissing Damon.

It had felt real, like one of the most vivid dream she wasn't sure if she'd imagined or remembered. Like a long lost memory. But her compulsion had long since worn off and there was nothing else Damon had to hide. And yet, there was just something different about that dream. She leaned against the island in the kitchen, slowly sipping the blood and looking out the window. The sky was black, hardly any stars and sighed. Was it wrong of her to wish that Damon had been there to wake her up from her nightmare? Was it silly if she called him right now to ask him about dreams? Surely he would want to know what kind of dream she'd had.

It didn't seem like vampires had more lifelike dreams than humans. It was just this one. One that she wished she hadn't woken up from.

* * *

Upstairs, Katherine snuggled back into her bed, a sleepy smile on her face. It was even to get into Stefan's head, a little tougher to get in Damon's and up until Elena had turned she couldn't get into her doppelgangers at all. However, Elena had Damon's blood in her and would always share that connection with her. And there was always a back door through the mind.

_a/n: hope you all enjoyed that little taste of action. I promise there will be more coming. I just thought we all deserved a little something and I had a few minutes to write. I'll be back soon with the final few chapters of this story._


	8. Chapter 8

_a/n: we are slowly getting closer to the end of this story. I am both excited and sad. I felt like there was SO MUCH MORE I could have done with all of this, and perhaps I still will when I transition it over to the Delena fanfiction site. Who knows. I am however excited because that means that I can work on my unfinished projects and get the ball rolling with some more one shots. Anyone missing those? Do you prefer my chaptered fics or just the 'quickes'? (haha *wink* get it?)_

SECOND CHANCES

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay_

_I don't care what clothes you wear, it's time to love and I don't care_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

Elena sat at the island in the kitchen, dangling her feet from the stool as she glared into her cereal. The spoon had moved around a few times, she'd picked up a few bites but not a single one had gone into her mouth in the last ten minutes since she'd sat down. Katherine watched her over a cup of coffee wondering what best to say, if anything to the less than attractive mirror image across from her. Elena's hair hadn't been brushed in two days and from the smells of it she hadn't showered in just as long. She had gone out with Stefan the day before yesterday; their second chance date but she'd come home and gone straight to her room. She hadn't even looked up when she'd come in the door. Just upstairs and locked her bedroom. Since then, they hadn't been able to get a word out of her. "That's it!" Katherine slammed the mug down on the counter, breaking the handle off in the process. Elena jumped a little but didn't look up. "You tell me what happened right now!"

Elena was quiet for a few more minutes, but slowly she looked up. "There isn't much to say."

"The hell there isn't. You've been walking around like a zombie for days now and I'm tired of it. Whatever happened the other night; you have to talk about it."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I don't really give a shit what you want at the moment." Katherine came around the island to glare down at her twin. "You don't seem to know what you want anyway. Unless of course torturing the Salvatore brothers to within an inch of each of their sanities is what you want."

"Of course not." Elena's voice dropped into a near mumble.

Katherine sighed and shoved the soggy bowl of cereal away as she perched on the stool next to Elena. "Just start at the beginning. Obviously something happened."

Elena nodded, laying her arms on the countertop and hiding her face in them. She took a few deep steadying breaths and then looked up. "It wasn't supposed to get this complicated. It wasn't supposed to be this hard. I thought that when I became a vampire the choice would be easier somehow. Except it only made it worse. The confusion got stronger, my attachment to Stefan, only grew and held on because he was a reminder of the times when I was human. Then my attraction to Damon intensified and I nearly ended up screwing him our first date. Everything is so much worse now. I can't control how I feel anymore than I can control them."

"The Salvatore men are not meant to be controlled. I know this from experience."

"I've hurt them both so badly. I don't deserve either of them at this point."

"We cannot base our relationships on who we do or do not deserve. It's about love Elena. It's about a bond, and the strength of that bond. It's not so much about who you see yourself with tomorrow. It's who you see yourself with in ten years, fifty years, three hundred years."

"That's a long time to decide to be with one person."

"It is, and no one is saying that you have to choose either of them for the rest of your eternity. You could chose neither of them and be happy forever. That is part of the choice you have to make. But you can't keep both of them loving you."

"You're not really one to talk."

Katherine grabbed her chin, forcing Elena to look at her. "I am exactly the one that should be talking. I am the one with the experience. You didn't see Damon's face when I told him that it was never going to be him for me. But you…Elena he loves you. He would go through all that pain again, just to be with you."

"Because I have your face." Her lip trembled and she bit it to keep still. "They only love me because I have your face."

Katherine shook her head. "We have the Petrova face; and it's both a curse and a blessing. It's that face that brought me to them, and it's that face that brought them to you. You cannot hold back on your own heart because you are afraid of the what if's. Take it from someone that's lived a long time and seen a lot of things. Just because time is ours now doesn't mean we can waste it."

"Things are just too messed up now."

"Tell me about the date." Katherine said patiently, feeling Elena's defenses fall down.

"It started out fine. I mean, as fine as it could have been…"

_Elena pressed her hand over her stomach to settle her nerves. It wasn't so much that she was afraid of Stefan, or nervous around him. She just simply didn't want to be here. She wanted the movie to end, the evening to be over. Stefan caught the motion and slid his hand onto her knee. "Are you alright?" he whispered, his free hand digging into the bag of popcorn on the seat next to him._

_ Elena nodded dismissively, looking up at the screen and trying to focus on Scarlett. Why was the Film Preservation Society playing Gone with the Wind? Why did it have to be this movie of all movies that Stefan took her to? She shifted in her seat, thinking about how incredible her experience had been the last time she'd had Ashley confessing in the background and a small smirk snuck onto her lips. Stefan caught it, but took it as a different meaning and slid his hand a little higher on her thigh. Too lost in her daydream, Elena hardly noticed his touch._

_ She rested her head on her fist, her elbow against the opposite arm rest and let her eyes flutter closed. She pictured Damon's strong hands on her thighs, parting them, tossing them over his shoulders and he leaned down between her legs. To keep the impending moan from slipping out she bit down on her lip harder, squirming down into her seat once again. Her arousal wasn't uncomfortable, but it did needed to be sated and suddenly she was even more anxious for this movie to be over. She wanted to go home, read a chapter or so of that dirty book Caroline had let her borrow and lose herself in thoughts of Damon's hands. They'd felt so good on her skin. They felt so good right now- wait…no they didn't._

_ Her eyes opened and she looked down, seeing the 'S' saudered to the stone of Stefan's daylight ring. His fingers had nearly crawled all the way up her jeans and was currently attempting to discretely open her thighs. She resisted, the muscles in her legs tightening and she looked over at him. He had a smug smile on his face until he saw the look in her eyes. His hand pulled back as if she'd burned him and he kept his hands to himself for most of the remaining movie. When he stood to excuse himself for the bathroom around the time that Scarlett saw Tara 'rise' out of the ashes, Elena snuck her cell out of her pocket and checked the time. She couldn't resist opening the text from Damon, a smile on her lips._

*how's the 'date' going*

*could use a little something more*

*define this something more for me ;)*

_She could practically see the cocky smile on his face and twiddled her thumbs over the keypad before deciding what to say. _*let's just say…this movie was more interesting the last time I watched it*

*-facepalm- did he really take you to see it? I thought he was joking.*

*he really did. What are you doing?*

*just at home, all alone. Waiting for the bubbles in my bath to disappear*

*teasing is not nice Damon*

*it's not teasing if it's true, and you know I take bubble baths*

_Elena thought back to the first time she saw him naked and blushed. _*only because you're such a slut and don't mind flashing your business for everyone to see*

*you saw I have nothing to be ashamed of*

_Elena glanced up at the doorway to see Stefan strolling back to his seat and quickly typed. _*I don't remember much to be proud of either. Perhaps you will have to remind me*

_She quickly stuffed her phone back into her pocket as Stefan sat next to her once more. "Everything alright?" he whispered and she nodded._

_ "Just Caroline checking in."_

_ He nodded, but didn't seem like he believed her all that much._

_ When the movie ended, everyone walked out of the theater in a rush and so as not to get lost in the crowd she let him take her hand. It wasn't so much a unpleasant sensation as a comfortable, natural one but there was no spark in the touch. When she'd held hands with Damon she felt like she could start forest fires with the static in her fingertips. The drive back to her place was very quiet and she kept her face looking out the window for most of it. When Stefan pulled up in front of her house, he got out, moving to her side and opening the door for her. "Thank you for tonight."_

_ "Your welcome." She took his hand, almost willing a spark; some sign that she was still meant to be with him. But there was nothing. The fire was gone. The passion was gone._

_ He kept his hand low on her back as he guided her up the few stairs to the porch. "Do you mind if I come in?"_

_ "Um.." she dug in her purse for her keys. "I don't…I don't think it's a very good idea. The girls are home."_

_ "That's alright." He smiled, a smile that used to make her toes curl as he brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. "We know how to be quiet."_

_ Elena felt the heat from his breath on her face and shuddered. "Stefan,"_

_ "I could smell you in the theater Elena. I know you want me. Don't you remember what it was like?"_

_ She could remember what it was like. The soft, gentle passion. It was what she had needed at the time, craved. It was so much more than Matt's misguided fumbling or that jerk at the lake house the summer she was sixteen who used too much tongue; but there was just something that shut her hormones down and she felt so bad for it. It wasn't what she needed now, not what she craved now. "Yes."_

_ "We can have that again Elena." He whispered, leaning closer. "All you have to do is say yes."_

_ Then his lips were on hers and she couldn't breathe. His fingers were in her hair and he was pushing her up against the door. It should have been erotic and exciting. It could have been maybe, if she let it be. But she didn't, and she didn't want to. Instead her hands found his chest and instead of pulling him closer she pushed back. "No Stefan, stop."_

_ "You're just confused. Damon is confusing you." He shook his head and leaned in to kiss her again. "I'm here Elena. I'm right here. You don't have to be afraid anymore. I won't ever leave you again."_

_ Slowly, someone stepped out of the shadows. "I think that's the point brother, she does want you to leave."_

_ Stefan took a step back and Elena looked over his shoulder at Damon. His hair was still wet from the shower and she realized that she hadn't checked her phone yet for the reply to his text. "This is my night with her Damon. You don't see me interrupting your dates with her."_

_ "At least she wants me here." Damon glared back, looking over at Elena as his eyes softened. "Are you alright?"_

_ "Of course she's alright." Stefan stepped between them, as if guarding her from his brother. "I'm not going to hurt her."_

_ "You also don't know when to take no for an answer."_

_ "And you do?"_

_ "Both of you stop it!" Elena pushed past Stefan to stand between them. "I don't want either of you here right now. Stefan, thank you for the date. Damon, thank you for checking up on me. But I'm tired and I've had a long few weeks dealing with this crap and I'm going upstairs. To sleep."_

_ "Of course." Stefan took Elena's hand and kissed it, a move that felt somewhat fake to her. That was Damon's thing. He couldn't use that on her._

_ Damon didn't budge from the porch, even after Stefan had gotten into his car. "He won't leave."_

_ "Neither will you apparently." She said quietly._

_ He turned to look at her. "I thought you wanted to see me."_

_ "Oh." She blushed and looked down at the porch. "I didn't mean tonight…I mean, I guess I did but…after." She fumbled over her words, finding them only when she looked up at him. "I just want to be alone tonight."_

_ Damon looked hurt. No, he looked angry. "So what was that? What the hell were those texts you sent me?"_

_ She trembled under his gaze. "I…I don't know."_

_ "Yes you do." He turned to face her fully, not caring if Stefan was watching from the car. "You just love keeping me on that hook of yours! At least you know where I stand then huh? Waiting for you, dangling there hoping you will save me? Well it's enough Elena! I've been patient, I've been charming. I've given you time. No more. Make your choice now, right now. With both of here, or you're going to lose us both."_

_ Damon and Elena both knew that Stefan could hear their conversation and the fact that he didn't object to what was going on made Damon's statement all the more true. "It's not fair." Elena whispered, mostly to herself._

_ "Screw fair Elena. None of this is fair. I want an answer. We both deserve an answer."_

_ "I don't have one!" she nearly stomped her feet in frustration._

_ He said nothing, but he didn't need to. The disappointment and pain etched in his face was clear enough and she felt a metaphorical knife twist in her heart. She just stood there watching as Damon walked down the stairs and then got in Stefan's car. She watched numbly as they drove away, leaving her there alone. _

"So basically what you're telling me is you chocked?" Katherine demanded.

Elena was going to defend herself but she only nodded her head. "What am I going to do?"

Katherine shoved her off the stool. "Fix it."

_a/n: I thought this would be a more interesting way of telling the story of the date. One or two more chapters to go._


	9. Chapter 9

_a/n: I took a few days and re-read all of your reviews for this chapter. It really helped me a lot. Of course you are all rooting for Delena. If you aren't and you're still reading this story some wires got crossed because that is not going to be the end of this story. It is just impossible. I don't understand how she could go back to Stefan after everything. Not neccisarily everything that he has done, but everything that has happened between her and Damon._

_Now, some of you may recognize the 'feel' of this chapter if you have seen One Tree Hill. Many months ago I got a request for a rain scene with lots of yelling like Brooke and Lucas. I have never watched this show, but I did youtube the scene and I think I got enough to realize what kind of mood my lovely requester wanted. _

_I am going to do my best to work it into this story and give us all the happy ending we are all craving. The smut is coming. I can't take it anymore. Enjoy!_

HER WAY TO HIM

_If I was running  
__If I was crying  
__If I was scared_

Elena finished tying the laces on her shoes and pushed herself up from the bed. It had been a week since she had spoken to either of the Salvatore brothers. She'd called Damon but he hadn't answered, and she figured she deserved that. She was hurting him, hurting both of them. She was hurting herself to. And for what? For what reason? Because she didn't want to hurt the other brother. Well, it was enough already. She had to make a plan, and going over to the house and begging on her knees wasn't good enough. It wasn't what Damon deserved. Not after all that she had put him through. Yes, she'd made her choice, but he wouldn't answer the phone to listen to it, so she would have to find a different way to tell him.

She would give herself one more night to come up with the perfect plan before she made any moves. As she always did, she checked her phone and found that he hadn't returned her calls or her texts. She was getting a taste of her own medicine. She wouldn't choose him, so he wouldn't choose her either. All was fair in love and war. War, she was so sick of fighting. She just wanted it to be over, and soon enough it would be. She owed it to them, to herself and to Caroline apparently. Or at least that's what the blonde vampire had said this morning at breakfast. _"No more Elena. Katherine and I can't take this anymore. We are giving you a deadline or we're just going to arrange marriage you with one of them."_

The threat had been mostly in jest, but Elena had got the message. She had to choose one of them or she was going to lose both of them. And quickly. She sprinted down the stairs, not taking the shared looks of concern Caroline and Katherine shared from the living room as they took in the sight of Elena in her running clothes. "Where are you going?" Kat asked, looking down at her magazine, as if she didn't really care.

"Just for a run." Elena shrugged, pulling on a jacket.

As if on cue a crash of thunder sounded outside. "Are you nuts?" Caroline leaned over the back of the sofa. "It's going to rain."

"I like running in the rain."

"Take an umbrella at least."

Elena shook her head. "Can't really run with an umbrella Caroline." She waved and disappeared out the front door.

Caroline slumped back on the couch, returning to painting her toenails a light shade of pink. "What are we going to do with her?"

Katherine kept her eyes on the magazine, though she really wasn't reading anything. "Wait till tomorrow night. Damon needs time to cool down. I'm guessing at this point in time he's passed the grieving period and he's about to reach his homicidal stage. If we piss him off now he'll rip our heads off."

"What about Elena's head?"

Katherine shrugged, turning the page. "Maybe if he rips it off he can screw it back on right."

* * *

Elena did love running in the rain. She loved running in general but she really loved running in the rain. Most of the time she didn't even need music, and when it was raining she could just go and not think. But the rain was getting heavier and the sky was getting darker. The light showers she'd been expecting was quickly turning into a storm and she decided to take the short cut of her usual trail and get home before the lighting and thunder got any closer. Of course, her short cut was through the graveyard and she shuddered as she passed the familiar headstones. She didn't stop to talk to her parents this time, knowing that they would understand she wanted to get home. She did allow her mind to wander to them though, always having the 'what if' they were still alive thought.

What if they hadn't died? What would they be doing right now? She decided her mother would see the storm and have a cup of tea waiting for her when she got back. Then she would go and drink it in the living room with her father while he read and tried to watch the football game. Jeremy would be upstairs listening to loud music or sitting in the arm chair in the corner drawing. But as easily as the dream came into her mind, it faded away and she was left with the familiar emptiness that always came. Jeremy wouldn't be there when she got home. And neither would her parents. The thought made her chest hurt and she ran a little faster.

The rain was getting louder now, colder now and she stopped to zip up her jacket and pull her hair back beneath the hood once she was back on the sidewalk. She rested for a minute, catching her breath and looking around. There were a few cars on the road but not too many considering the obvious severity of the storm that was coming. Then she saw it; the Camaro. And she saw him behind the wheel. And she watched as he drove right past her. Her heart sunk further that it had been a few moments ago as she watched the red tail lights get smaller. Then his reverse lights were on and he was moving backwards, slowing down right next to her on the street. "Elena?"

She moved closer to the car. "Damon."

"Get in." he looked away, straight at the road. There was pain in his eyes, like the very idea of being close to her in the car hurt him.

"Are you sure?" she hesitated, her arm half extended in a reach for the door handle.

"Just get in Elena." He sounded impatient, annoyed and she moved off the sidewalk, swearing when her shoe filled with water from the dark puddle she'd stepped into.

When she was next to him in the car she shut the door and rolled the window up. "What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." His voice was dark. He was not pleased to see her. She remembered the last time she'd been in this car. How they'd held hands and the air had hummed with sexual tension. Now the air just hung with pain and anger and regret.

"I was running."

"In the middle of a hurricane?"

"It didn't start out that way." She amended, feeling much like a child being scolded.

"They never do." He glared down at the dashboard. "I'm taking you home."

"No." he reached out, laying her hand over his on the gear shift before he turned his glare on her. She shrunk back in the seat. "Please, can you just drive. I don't want to go home yet."

"Well I don't want to be anywhere near you right now."

His honesty hurt, but she took it. Knew she deserved it. "I guess that's fair."

But when they got to the turn for her street, he passed it. She wasn't going to ask what he was doing, she just sat silently waiting for him. Finally he broke the silence. "I feel like I should say I'm sorry for not calling you back, but I'm really not."

"Oh." She felt lost. What do you say to that? "You're in a very honest mood tonight."

"I'm tired of lying Elena. I'm tired of games. You can play them all you want, but I'm done. Apparently Katherine has been teaching you a lot more than how to be a vampire."

"And what's that supposed to mean!" Elena turned in her seat to glare at him.

"You know what it means." He refused to look at her.

She didn't say anything at first. Just moved closer to the door and wished she could turn invisible. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I've hurt you."

"Sorry is just a word Elena. It's one I've heard you use one too many times."

"If you're just going to be a jerk then I really think you should just let me out of the car."

"You want out of the car?" he slammed on the breaks, the car skidding on the wet pavement. "Fine. Get out." She watched him put the car in park, finally meeting her eyes. "Well?"

"You can be such an ass Damon Salvatore." She shook her head and got out, turning around the walk back to town. He'd been driving fast and they were already a good twenty minutes away but she didn't care. Now she wanted to be nowhere near him.

She heard him rev the engine, and then kill it. He slammed the drivers door as he got out, swearing as he ran after her. She didn't stop, she didn't even look back until he grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. "What do you want from me Elena? I'm doing the best I can. I did the best I could. I was everything you wanted me to be."

"I know."

"Then what! What is it? It's not good enough. And I'm tired. I'm tired of trying, of being perfect. It doesn't mean shit. None of it has meant anything to you. You still want Stefan. You still love Stefan." He let go of her arm, defeated and heartbroken.

She could see it in his eyes that he was ready to give up. He didn't want to play anymore, and she couldn't blame him. She was just as exhausted."I care about him Damon. I do. I can't not care about him. He was there for me at a time when I needed someone."

"Then why even string me along? Why put us all through this?" he looked up at her, staring deep into her soul. He wanted an answer. He needed an answer.

"Because I love you Damon." She let the words slide off her tongue, and now that she'd said them they were the easiest words to form. "I do, I love you. I tried not to because you were my boyfriends brother. And I tried not to because you were the bad guy. I tried not to because I had to be loyal to Stefan. I tried not to because I was so used to fighting my love for you that it became habit. But I can't fight it anymore, and I don't want to."

"You have to tell me why Elena." He framed her face with his hands, stepping closer to her. He needed to hear the words, and she needed to say them. He couldn't believe her, he wouldn't believe her until she accepted it fully and completely for herself. "Why do you love me?"

She stumbled a little over her words. Trying to find the best way to describe him. "Because." She shook her head, not believing he was putting her through this. She hadn't had time to plan what she wanted to say. And she'd wanted to do it in a nice romantic setting, not in the middle of a rainstorm as she froze her ass off. "Because of the way you smirk when you're trying to seduce me, or charm me, or get your own way. Because no matter how hard I tried to resist you, you can turn me on with a single look, a single touch. Because you were there for me when everyone else left. Because even though you did leave me once, you came back and you saved me still. Because when my world is falling apart the only person I trust to save me is you."

Damon tugged her tight against him, his clothes just as wet as hers know. She wrapped her hands in his jacket and pulled him closer, their lips meeting hard. For a minute they just held each other, there in that moment. Then she opened her eyes to find him looking down at her, and her lips cracked into a smile. His tongue took the opportunity to slip into her mouth and the low moan she gave only encouraged his kiss. Her hands went up into his wet hair, tugging him down to her level, his hands sliding down to cup her ass and hold the lower half of her body against his. If he didn't stop, she probably would have let him take her right there in the rain.

He pulled back from the kiss, feeling her shiver. Quickly he looked around, rubbing her shoulders. Come on, let's get you out of this storm."

"Where are we going?" she asked as he pulled her further into the trees.

"Just trust me." He smirked over his shoulder and she melted a little, knowing that she would never be able to deny him anything again.

_a/n: and so you see! The smut is coming. Forgive me for the short chapter. I just wanted to give you guys a little something while I had a few minutes._


	10. Chapter 10

_a/n: hey guys. I'm sorry I didn't get this up before Thursday. Things have been pretty nuts lately for me and there just wasn't time. _

_But it's here now. Enjoy!_

HIS WAY TO HER

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me _

Elena let Damon lead her deeper into the woods, her clothes tight on her body and her shoes full of water. She kept her eyes on the leather of his jacket, not watching her feet, her mind racing Had she really just told him she loved him? A smile crept over her lips slowly as she realized she in fact had. This wasn't a dream, this wasn't imaginary. She'd really done it and at the moment she didn't care where he took her as long as it was somewhere she could get out of these soaked clothes and feel him against her. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice he'd stopped moving and she bumped into him. He looked back at her, that smirk on his lips; twisting dark thoughts into her mind. "Where are we?"

Damon hesitated, wanting to be honest but not wanting to ruin the mood. "This is the ruins of my family home." He stepped aside and she nodded. She remembered when Stefan had brought her here, but that had been in the middle of a sunny day.

Here, at night with the rain it looked darker, more intense and a bit threatening. Just like Damon. But she found herself wanting to crawl inside and hide there. Just like Damon. "What are we doing here?"

"Let's just say the Boarding House has been getting a little…crowded lately. Stefan's moods are a bit too much to handle. I've stayed here before, in the first few weeks I was in this town."

She frowned, remembering the first night they met. The real first time they met. How he'd been there, and then gone back into the trees. "Oh."

"Come with me." He held out his hand and she took it. She didn't care about the past anymore. All that mattered was right here, right now.

He helped her down the cracked steps and she pushed down any fear or resolve she had of going down there with him. She expected it to be dark and dirty, but it was the exact opposite. They went around a brick wall and she felt her breath leave her body. Damon had managed to get his large four poster bed down here, the dirt floor of the room was covered in candles. She couldn't believe how beautiful it was. "Wow."

He looked around, grimacing. "I'm sorry it's not perfect."

"It's beautiful." She turned to look at him, framing his face with her hands and sliding them down to his neck. "I don't need perfect. I just need you."

He grimaced, teasing her as he slowly trapped her in his arms, holding her tightly against him. "Is that to imply that I am not perfect?"

She moved to slap his chest, but he rushed her over to the bed and onto it. She laughed, sitting up to look at him, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't believe this was happening here, like this, tonight. And they hadn't even told Stefan yet. Then Damon gave her that look and all other thoughts disappeared from her mind. She didn't care about anything or anyone. She just wanted to be here, with him. And she wanted to be with him, right now. In every way possible. "Kiss me."

His cocky smirk turned into a grin and he towered over her, as if she was his prey. Only now, she was just as strong as he was. He complied with her order, his lips smooth against hers, but demanding. He wanted her, just as badly as she wanted him and the thought thrilled her. She'd never felt more loved, more wanted than in Damon's arms. She remembered back to the night where he had taken control of her, had given her the pleasure she'd been craving. The memory turned her on and he caught the flash of lust in her eyes. "What are you thinking about?"

"You."

"Tell me." He slipped his hands underneath her shirt but she only smiled and shook her head.

"I'd rather show you."

Her fingers tore at the buttons on his shirt, only to slowly smooth her hands over his bare chest. Her teeth nipped furiously at his lips when he stopped kissing her for a moment trying to undo her jeans. Damon felt his blood boil as he pulled her shirt over her head and tugged her jeans down to her ankles. She surprised him when she kneeled up on the bed to undo his belt and push his pants down to the floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to the bed, to her so she could feel their bare skin pressed against each other as they kissed. His hands smoothed down her sides and cupped her ass, lifting her off the mattress and laying her on her back.

She arched up against him, pressing her breasts against his chest and running her fingers through his hair. He leaned close, tasting her skin; giving her time to adjust to the fact that this was happening. Then she moaned, rubbing against him and he considered if it was himself that he was giving time to adjust. He knew that crossing this line; the last line they had left would change everything about them, about him. He wasn't sure he could come back from her walking away again after this. He was giving himself to her just as deeply as she was giving herself to him and as he looked into her darkening eyes, he prayed that she would take what was left of him and not crush it. "Don't be scared." She whispered.

He would have laughed if he hadn't actually been afraid. "Shouldn't it be me saying that to you?"

She shook her head, and smoothed his hair back from his forehead. "I'm not leaving you. It's you Damon. Forever."

"Forever is a very long time."

She knew he was giving her an out, but she wasn't going to take it. "Love me." She pleaded, moving beneath him. "Please."

He kissed her again; hard, almost desperately. The force held her against the pillow as if he was afraid she would disappear if he let her go. Then he slid into her slowly, carefully enjoying the sensation and the way her body shook as they became one. The first moan slipped from her lips, and he heard his name behind it. The sound took over his senses and he released all the anger and fear that had been driving him. He'd never felt so loved before, so incredible, so…at home. She kissed back, moved with him, against him, for him. She held him against her, tight inside her, leaving marks on his back and shoulders when he moved just a little bit faster and in just the right way.

Elena as a vampire was something he had seriously never thought would become reality. As the dark lines appeared beneath her eyes, she smiled and he held her tight. Her fangs slipped into place, along with his and he knelt close. Their kiss was different this time, and he not only tasted her but their blood mixed together. His brain swam and he knew she felt the connection as her eyes rolled back into her head. He watched her lick her lips and then lean up to his, licking them clean. She shivered, but he knew that she couldn't be cold. Then he noticed how white her knuckles had turned and leaned back to look at her.

"What is it?"

"I want…I want to…taste you." She seemed almost embarrassed, and even a little scared now. He shook his head, bringing her fist to his lips and kissing along her knuckles.

"Relax." He whispered and flattened her palm against his chest, sliding it up to his neck. He ran her fingertips over a vein in his throat. "Bite here."

She nodded, nervously leaning up and running her tongue over the spot. Then she sucked the skin between her teeth, slowly softening the area. All at once her bloodlust took over and she pierced his skin, moaning a different kind of pleasure as she drank him in. He cradled her head against his neck, ignoring his own cravings until she pulled back, licking her lips clean once more. "Your turn." She sighed and offered her wrist to him. All the while he was inside her, keeping them a unit. Keeping them together.

Damon couldn't believe what she was offering him, what she was giving them both. Being joined like this, like a man and a woman was incredible. But joining them as vampires was so much more. He glanced at her to make sure that she knew what she was saying and when she didn't hesitate or pull away he pressed one kiss to the inside of her wrist before biting into her skin. Her body exploded beneath him as a new wave of sensation flowed through her. She cried out, her free hand wrapping around his bicep to hold on as she felt the beginning of the end crash into her senses.

They came together a few moments later, calling the other's name with tangled tongues.

* * *

Elena walked into her home late the next morning with a big smile on her face. She closed the front door and leaned against it, listening as Damon drove away. Last night had been incredible, as had this morning. Both times this morning. She practically sang her way up the stairs and into her room, feeling pretty good about herself and the fact that she may have gotten away with sneaking in. Until she stepped into her bedroom and found Caroline sprawled across her bed and Katherine stepping out of the bathroom. "Well it's about time you're home." The blonde vampire said sitting up.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Elena didn't sound impressed to be cornered, but she didn't try to hide it.

Katherine sniffed the air, her lips curving into a dangerous smile. "Now that, is definitely sex in the air."

Elena shrugged, walked over to her closet and tugged her robe down from the door. "This time, you're right. I did spend the night with Damon."

Caroline glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "And the better part of the morning."

Katherine grabbed Caroline's elbow and tugged her up off the bed. "Give her some time to recover. We can interrogate her later."

"But-"

"You know what's like to be ravished by Damon." Katherine said with sharp eyes, tugging the blonde toward the door. "She needs a shower anyway."

The doppelgangers shared a look of understanding before the door closed behind them and Elena let out the breath she'd been holding. She had a few hours before Damon came back to collect her. How was she going to tell them their plan?

* * *

Damon pulled into the garage of the Boarding House and waited a few beats before stepping out of his car. This was not going to be pretty and he was pretty damn sure that Stefan wouldn't even believe him at first. If he had to tell him alone that is. Elena had begged him to let her do, but he wasn't sure he could wait. It wasn't just that he was happy she'd chosen him, that she agreed to his wild idea. It was also the simple fact that he didn't want his brother to suffer in limbo for any longer than he had to. Taking a deep breath he walked into the house, looking around for Stefan. When he discovered he was alone, he took it as a sign and went upstairs to begin packing.

* * *

"What do you mean you're leaving?" Caroline exclaimed, pacing back and forth in the kitchen as Elena sat at the island next to Katherine. "You're just up and going away? Mystic Falls is your home."

Elena sighed, her hands shaking so badly that she settled them on her knees in hopes that they would still. "I know, but there is nothing in this town but terror and death and heartbreak."

"There's us!" the blonde slammed her hand down on the countertop, her eyes glaring and on the verge of tears. "We're your family."

"Yes you are." Elena nodded and reached out for Caroline's hand, hurt when her friend pulled away. "I want a fresh start. I deserve a fresh start; and so does Damon."

Katherine, who had been silent through most of the argument finally decided to speak up. "I think it's a good idea." Her tone was even, quiet, reserved. It was as if she didn't entirely agree with the plan, but she wasn't about to hold them back either.

"Of course you do!" Caroline spat and waved her hand. "That's all you've ever done is run!"

"Hey!" Katherine glared. "We're not talking about me. And Elena is hardly running."

"Then take some time. Don't make this choice right now. What have you and Damon been together? Five minutes? Is that really enough time to decide that you want to go away with him?"

"Jeremy can have the house." Elena ran her fingers through her hair. "You guys can stay here as long as you want. It's not like I'm never coming back."

"What if something happens to you out there?" Caroline sounded like the worried mother and it almost made Elena smile.

"There is no less chance of my dying out there than in this town. Think back to the month that the Salvatore brothers got to this town. How many people have we lost since then? If anything, Damon and I leaving may protect everyone that's left. I have to at least try Care."

Katherine sighed, pushing back from the counter and sliding from the stool. She looked down at Elena. "You better get packing. Damon will be here soon."

Elena nodded, leaving the kitchen with one last glance at Caroline, her heart sinking when her friend didn't even look her way. She walked upstairs, her chest heavy and the levity of excitement of her and Damon's new start on the back burner. If it was this hard to tell them, she couldn't imagine how hard it would be to tell Stefan. Her heart leapt to her throat when she found him sitting next to her open suitcase on the bed. He had his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. He didn't look up right away, but when he did she could tell that he'd been crying.

"How much did you hear?" she whispered, going straight to him and kneeling in front of him.

"Enough."

"Stefan, I'm…I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to apologize Elena. You made your choice." He tried to sound understanding, but she could hear the venom in his tone.

"I understand if you hate me."

He shook his head, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I could never hate you Elena. I love you. Maybe it's not the same love we used to share, maybe too many things have happened now for it to be ever be the same. All I was looking for was one more chance to prove to you that we could go back to the way things were. But we can't, and they can't. You fell in love with Damon because he was there when you needed him, and you still need him."

"I did love you Stefan. With my whole heart."

"I know." He cleared his throat and stood. There was more to say, but he couldn't bare it. "Be safe. Please."

She nodded, letting him wrap his arms around her. She did the same, knowing this would be goodbye. Would she ever see him again? "Goodbye Stefan."

He pressed his lips to her cheek, squeezed her hands and when she opened her eyes again he was gone. She took one long, shattering breath in through her mouth before she let the wave of tears fall. It wasn't like dying; letting him go but it was close. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, distracting her and she brushed her tears away, looking down at the screen.

_I'll be there soon. _Read the text message from Damon and she looked around the room, deciding what it was of her old life that she wanted to bring with her. How much of Mystic Falls did she want to remember when she started all over someplace new? Slowly she walked around, grabbing the essentials from the bathroom and packing them away in her suitcase. Then she pulled a good, unnecessary number of clothes from her closet and dresser, folding them tightly. Her journal and pen, along with her teddy got stuffed in the bottom. She grabbed a bottle of her mother's perfume from a shelf in the corner of her room and her father's favorite book.

Anything else she would need later she could send for, but at the moment that was all she needed. By the time she was done she heard the Camaro pull up outside her open window. The numb desperation and fear she'd felt since Stefan had disappeared faded away as she looked outside and spotted Damon getting out of the car. He looked up, their eyes connecting and she felt her smile spread over her face as he waved. His grin was addictive and she found herself craving the need to make him smile like that every day. She waved back before tucking back into her room and shutting the window. This was it, she was actually doing this. She was going to leave Mystic Falls behind her.

With resolve, she shut her suitcase and walked to the bedroom door. One last long look had her memorizing every single aspect before she closed the chapter on her old life.

Downstairs, Damon was standing in the living room talking calmly to Katherine in hushed tones. Elena knew she had the power to eavesdrop but she ignored the opportunity and looked out the open front door to where Caroline sat on the porch, hugging her knees and staring out into the street. Elena sighed, glancing at Damon before going out and joining her best friend. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." Caroline whispered, snaking her arm through Elena's and taking her hand. "I just, don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me. Ever."

A small smile broke Caroline's grief stricken pout. "Will just have to be long distance best friends."

"Best friends forever." Elena smiled and opened her free hand, showing Caroline a pink beaded chain with a half a heart charm hanging from it. "Do you remember this?"

Caroline nodded, taking her keys from her pocket. She had the other half of the charm hanging from the ring. "Who knew that when we were six forever could have been a real possibility."

Elena nodded, looking out onto the street. Her entire life had been in this town, in this house. "I won't be gone forever. And Damon already said we would come back for Christmas."

"Christmas." Caroline nodded and took a deep breath. "I can deal with you being gone for four months."

Someone cleared their throat behind them and both turned to look at Damon and Katherine standing in the doorway. "Ready to go?" he asked carefully.

Elena nodded, standing up and slipping the necklace into her pocket. "I am."

Caroline pulled her into a big long hug, squeezing tightly. Elena squeezed back, just as hard before she felt Katherine's hand on her shoulder. "I'm not much for hugging or anything gooey of the sort but you're leaving and it's sad."

Elena laughed, sliding her arm around Katherine's waist and pulling her into the hug. Her family wasn't conventional and it wasn't normal but it was hers and she loved them. She looked up, chocking back tears when Damon's hand ran over her hair. "We should go." She whispered, smiling at Caroline.

She nodded in response, stepping back to stand with Katherine. "Call us when you get, wherever you're going."

Elena nodded, letting Damon take her hand. "I love you both."

"We love you too." Katherine said when Caroline couldn't speak.

Elena didn't take her eyes off the two women on her porch until they were too far down the street. Damon said nothing as he drove, giving her time. "Are you okay." He said finally, his throat tight.

"No." she shook her head, then reached over and slid her hand over his on gear shift. "But I will be."

"Did you say goodbye to Stefan?"

"No." Damon shook his head, almost sad. "It's not the first time though."

"We'll come back right?" she asked quietly, looking out at the street, the familiar houses rushing past her window.

"Right." Damon brought her hand to his lips, kissing it. She looked at him and smiled.

_a/n: I apologize for taking so damn long to do this for you all. I had to wait two extra days to watch the season premier, and to say I was disappointed is an understatement. I knew we wouldn't get our Delena moments right away, but…ugh. Anyway, maybe that's why I made this ending so…sappy. So, gooey. I needed some kind of driving off into the sunset moment after the despair I felt watching Stefan give Elena her daylight ring._

_Thank you all for coming on this journey with me. I do happy that you are pleased with the smut and the ending. It was a long time coming I know. Love you all._


End file.
